Natthawut: Red-shirt villages symbolic

The establishment of red-shirt villages in many localities in the Northeast is not illegal and it only intended as a symbol, to show that people want justice and a single standard for all, Pheu Thai party list candidate and red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua said on Wednesday.

Mr Nathawut was responding to Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's call for the Pheu Thai Party to explain  the reported establishment of red-shirt villages.
He said the red-shirt villages were self-proclaimed by  red-shirt supporters who wanted to make them a symbol of their desire for justice and a single standard in the country.
The red-shirt villages did not promote any activities which are against the law and did not pose a threat to any  part of society.
On Mr Abhisit's concern that they might obstruct reconciliation, Mr Natthawut said that reconciliation would be achieved only when the people's intentions were recognised.
One of the people's intentions was  a political party which wins the election and forms a government.
"Today, what is worrying us is that some parties may not be sportsmanlike if they are defeated," Mr Natthawut said.
He said the monarchy must be cherished and should not be used by any party to destroy their opponents.
Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit, a party list candidate, said the Pheu Thai election centre had received a complaint that in the Northeast a group of people went to see villagers and offerred them loan of 200,000 baht free of interest.
Those who wanted the loan were required to show their IDs and pay a 300 baht membership fee.
Mr Prompong said this might be a form of electoral fraud  by some political group.
The Pheu Thai Party would gather evidence and report it to the Election Commission next week, he said.
Mr Prompong also said his party received another complaint, that a group of people went to various factories in Rangsit area of Pathum Thani province and told the workers that the Pheu Thai Party would build condominiums for sale along electric train routes.
The workers were told to give them their IDs to obtain the right to buy a condo.
The party was investigating if any executive  members of any political parties were involved, he said.