Chuan calls for security restraint

Chuan calls for security restraint

BANGKOK (Xinhua): Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai urged authorities concerned to exercise restraint after a major scuffle between police and protesting tapioca farmers, state television station Channel 9 reported on Friday.

Chuan, who returned from a visit to Japan early Thursday morning, said this after learning that police turned their dogs on tapioca planters on Wednesday who tried to break the riot police line guarding Government House, leaving 14 protesters bitten and 16 police injured.

Tapioca farmers demanded the government guarantee the minimum price for tapioca at 1.2 baht (3 U.S. cents) per kilogram, much higher than the price of 0.85 baht per kilogram as proposed by the commerce ministry.

The prime minister said the government was tackling the farmers' problem "realistically", and called on them to be patient.