PHUKET RED-SHIRTS have called off their contentious fund-raising dinner tonight, but not before expressing disappointment at their treatment.
Rajabhat University did not formally cancel the booking for the red-shirt dinner for 1000 until 5pm on Friday, less than 24 hours before the event was due to begin.
At a media conference yesterday evening, red-shirt spokesperson Wisoot Tangwittayaporn said 400,000 baht had been wasted on the cancelled dinner.
''This was for people from Bangkok and all 14 southern provinces, not just Phuket,'' he said.
''On October 22, the yellow-shirts sent a letter to the university's director objecting to our dinner. Why couldn't we have been told earlier that it could not go ahead?''
He said the red-shirts had first talked to the university director on October 9 and paid a deposit of 12,000 baht on that day.
Yellow-shirts had also protested to Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob on October 29, and the Governor had offered his support for the dinner, provided there were no breaches of the law.
The red-shirts had even agreed to three extra conditions imposed by the university.
''Although we have done everything we have been asked to do, we have not had the chance to hold the event,'' he said.
Khun Wisoot called into question a petition allegedly signed by about 1000 students, asking for the dinner to be called off.
He said he would take the matter to court because would-be participants at the fund-raiser had booked air tickets, and spent money on accommodation.
''Rajabhat have treated us badly,'' he said. ''I don't understand why Rajabhat let the yellow-shirts use the same venue for an event on July 26, yet deny us the same opportunity.''
Rajabhat director Prapa Kayee said the red-shirt event was cancelled because she received a petition from about 1000 students concerned at the effect of the event on the university's reputation.
But Khun Wisoot said there were only about 30 students involved and the petition showed obvious signs of mass signatures.
''I don't understand why the director of the university would make an important judgement on such a document,'' he said.
He added that the red-shirts had been on their best behavior during the Asean Foreign Ministers summit in July, and had never staged a damaging protest or invaded Phuket airport, as the yellow-shirts had done in August last year.
''Everybody should be treated fairly under the law, red or yellow,'' he said. ''We plan to go ahead and hold the event. We will be taking the matter of the cancellation to court on Monday.''
Rajabhat University did not formally cancel the booking for the red-shirt dinner for 1000 until 5pm on Friday, less than 24 hours before the event was due to begin.
At a media conference yesterday evening, red-shirt spokesperson Wisoot Tangwittayaporn said 400,000 baht had been wasted on the cancelled dinner.
''This was for people from Bangkok and all 14 southern provinces, not just Phuket,'' he said.
''On October 22, the yellow-shirts sent a letter to the university's director objecting to our dinner. Why couldn't we have been told earlier that it could not go ahead?''
He said the red-shirts had first talked to the university director on October 9 and paid a deposit of 12,000 baht on that day.
Yellow-shirts had also protested to Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob on October 29, and the Governor had offered his support for the dinner, provided there were no breaches of the law.
The red-shirts had even agreed to three extra conditions imposed by the university.
''Although we have done everything we have been asked to do, we have not had the chance to hold the event,'' he said.
Khun Wisoot called into question a petition allegedly signed by about 1000 students, asking for the dinner to be called off.
He said he would take the matter to court because would-be participants at the fund-raiser had booked air tickets, and spent money on accommodation.
''Rajabhat have treated us badly,'' he said. ''I don't understand why Rajabhat let the yellow-shirts use the same venue for an event on July 26, yet deny us the same opportunity.''
Rajabhat director Prapa Kayee said the red-shirt event was cancelled because she received a petition from about 1000 students concerned at the effect of the event on the university's reputation.
But Khun Wisoot said there were only about 30 students involved and the petition showed obvious signs of mass signatures.
''I don't understand why the director of the university would make an important judgement on such a document,'' he said.
He added that the red-shirts had been on their best behavior during the Asean Foreign Ministers summit in July, and had never staged a damaging protest or invaded Phuket airport, as the yellow-shirts had done in August last year.
''Everybody should be treated fairly under the law, red or yellow,'' he said. ''We plan to go ahead and hold the event. We will be taking the matter of the cancellation to court on Monday.''
