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.