BANGKOK, 22 January 2014 (NNT) – Labor Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, as head of the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), has pledged that he will negotiate with the anti-government protesters to end their activities without using force.

After a meeting of the CMPO, Mr Chalerm stated that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had re-emphasized to security units the importance of practicing non-violent means and complying with international standards when handling demonstrators. The CMPO Chief, in return, called on the protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) to respect the rights of others and quit their besiegement of government offices.

Estimating that the number of rally-goers was dropping, Mr Chalerm disclosed a plan to seek talks with the PDRC in a bid to peacefully reclaim the protest sites, possibly starting with the one on Chaeng Wattana Road.

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