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Petrol sales and deliveries in Bangkok suspended

Fuel stopped; Broadcasters closed as government increases pressure on red shirts

BANGKOK: -- Fuel deliveries and community television and radio stations are the latest target of the Thai government in the lead-up to the mass rally by red-shirt protesters this weekend.

Early this morning government lawyers applied to the Thailand Supreme Court for an order closing all radio and television stations affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

At the same time the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) announced on Thai Business Channel that it was suspending all fuel sales and deliveries to Bangkok and surrounding provinces commencing tomorrow.

A spokesman for the Peoples Television Channel said equipment was already being removed from the stations studio at Lardprao to an off-site location in preparation for this weekends rally and it was expected government officials and police will arrive at the studio with an order to cease broadcasting at around 1pm.

“We’ve informed red-shirt supporters of the plans of the government and they will be gathering here prior to 1pm in an attempt to stop the order being served and the removal of equipment”, he said.

Sean Boonpracong, international media spokesman for the UDD, said if the government attempted to close-down the community broadcasters the UDD had other plans in place that would allow its coverage of the rally to continue.

Meanwhile red-shirt supporters in provinces neighboring Bangkok have confirmed that fuel deliveries will be suspended as of this afternoon.

A red-shirt organizer in Ayutthaya confirmed by telephone that they have been advised there will be no fuel available for purchase starting tomorrow and people planning to attend the rally in Bangkok were now stockpiling fuel.

Earlier today an emergency meeting of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) decided against shutting down all community radio and television stations and instead delegated the job of monitoring and closing the country-wide network of stations to the police.

However, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office, Sathit Wongnongtheoy, said rumors that the government is about to close down the red shirt affiliated PTV network are false and just a tactic aimed at inciting more people to join the weekend rally.