Policemen deployed at Thailand hospital after Red Shirts' forced entry

Bangkok, Apr 30(ANI): A total of 100 policemen have been deployed around King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok to prevent any further forced entry by the Red Shirt protesters, police chief said.

Assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Worapong Chiewpreecha said the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES) has ordered police to provide security for all hospitals in Bangkok.

The decision comes after about 200 supporters and guards of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) led by leader Payap Panket searched the hospital, claiming it was being used as a hideout by the security forces.

Chulalongkorn Hospital Director Adisorn Patradul said the hospital, located next to the Red Shirt rally site on Ratchadamri Road, has closed its out-patient service after the incident and currently it is only handling emergency cases.

The patients have been transferred to Siriraj and other hospitals, he added.

According to reports, the hospital evacuated more than 1,000 patients, but there are about 600 patients in the building.

Meanwhile, UDD leader Weng Tojirakarn has issued an apology for the raid, describing it as "inappropriate, too much, and unreasonable".

"On behalf of all [UDD] leaders, I apologise to the public and to Chulalongkorn Hospital for the incident. The situation got out of control. It is not our policy to obstruct hospital operations," Tojirakarn said. (ANI)