Red-shirted group sues Thai PM over Internal Security Act enforcement

BANGKOK, Aug. 28 -- A lawyer of the anti-government group on Friday filed a lawsuit with the Criminal Court accusing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the cabinet of abuse of authority by enforcing the Internal Security Act to control the Sunday's anti-government rally.

From Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, the Thai government will impose the Internal Security Act at Dusit district in the center of capital Bangkok to ensure security during the mass anti-government rally planned by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

On Sunday at about 1.0 p.m. local time, the UDD protesters, or the red-shirted people, would gather at the Royal Plaza in Dusit district and march to Government House late in the afternoon.

The Act imposition is the violation of Article 157 of the Criminal Code, the website by Bangkok Post quoted UDD lawyer Suwat Chankaew as saying.

The lawsuit states that the enforcement of the Internal Security Act from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 is intended to prevent the red-shirted people from staging a peaceful rally as allowed by the constitution.

The court set Oct. 26 for examination of the lawsuit.