Supporters of former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra gather for a protest in central Bangkok March 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj)Sunday, March 14, 2010
Zee News
Bangkok: Tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters from Thailand's rural areas swarmed the Thai capital on Sunday for protests aimed at forcing the government
to dissolve Parliament and call new elections.
Protest leaders gave the government until noon Sunday (0500 GMT; midnight EST) to accede to their demands or face mass marches on key locations in Bangkok.
The demonstrators want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call new elections, which they believe will allow their political allies to regain power. They believe Abhisit came to power illegitimately with the connivance of the military and other parts of the traditional Thai ruling class who were jealous and fearful of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's popularity while in office from 2001 until he was ousted in a 2006 coup.
Traffic was light, businesses were shuttered and social events cancelled in Bangkok as many feared the four-day demonstrations, which officially begin Sunday but have been building for two days as caravans of protesters pour in from the north and northeast, would repeat past violence. But protesters stressed they would use only peaceful means in their quest for new elections.
"If the prime minister refuses to dissolve Parliament on Sunday, we will declare new measures. We are planning to march to key spots belonging to those in power," said one protest leader, Jatuporn Prompan.
"We will ask (the prime minister) to return power to the people," he said.
Jatuporn said he expected a million people to gather by noon Sunday. But local newspapers estimated the numbers at between 80,000 and 100,000, although more were still arriving from outlying areas, travelling in trucks, buses and motorcycles.
There were no reports of violence on Saturday, and Jatuporn even praised authorities for facilitating the protesters' easy entry into the capital.
Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said protesters were being provided with free bus rides from provincial areas to Bangkok.
A force of 50,000 soldiers, police and other security personnel was mobilised in the capital area.
The march is regarded by some as the last chance for Thaksin to return to Thailand.
The "Red Shirt" protesters, formally known as the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, are made up of followers of Thaksin, along with other people who oppose the 2006 military coup that toppled him.
Forcing the government out of power, Thaksin loyalists say, could pave the way for his pardon and return.
to dissolve Parliament and call new elections.
Protest leaders gave the government until noon Sunday (0500 GMT; midnight EST) to accede to their demands or face mass marches on key locations in Bangkok.
The demonstrators want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call new elections, which they believe will allow their political allies to regain power. They believe Abhisit came to power illegitimately with the connivance of the military and other parts of the traditional Thai ruling class who were jealous and fearful of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's popularity while in office from 2001 until he was ousted in a 2006 coup.
Traffic was light, businesses were shuttered and social events cancelled in Bangkok as many feared the four-day demonstrations, which officially begin Sunday but have been building for two days as caravans of protesters pour in from the north and northeast, would repeat past violence. But protesters stressed they would use only peaceful means in their quest for new elections.
"If the prime minister refuses to dissolve Parliament on Sunday, we will declare new measures. We are planning to march to key spots belonging to those in power," said one protest leader, Jatuporn Prompan.
"We will ask (the prime minister) to return power to the people," he said.
Jatuporn said he expected a million people to gather by noon Sunday. But local newspapers estimated the numbers at between 80,000 and 100,000, although more were still arriving from outlying areas, travelling in trucks, buses and motorcycles.
There were no reports of violence on Saturday, and Jatuporn even praised authorities for facilitating the protesters' easy entry into the capital.
Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said protesters were being provided with free bus rides from provincial areas to Bangkok.
A force of 50,000 soldiers, police and other security personnel was mobilised in the capital area.
The march is regarded by some as the last chance for Thaksin to return to Thailand.
The "Red Shirt" protesters, formally known as the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, are made up of followers of Thaksin, along with other people who oppose the 2006 military coup that toppled him.
Forcing the government out of power, Thaksin loyalists say, could pave the way for his pardon and return.
11 comments:
I think Cambodia should learn from Thailand how to topple the stupid government who rules the country for so long.
People in the Southern of(YALA)this is our time to reclaime our freedom from Thais Gov't that abused our people for so long, we must fight to the end, this is the TIME!!! we must be free and treated fairly...To all my brother and sister in Yala, this is the TEME!!! we will burns bangkok to the grounds, if they don't give us our freedom!!!!
My brother and sister in Yala, we must reclaims our freedom, this the time that we must fight to the death...!!
In 1972 some students were die by join the demonstration at Faculty of Law Boeung Trabek.There were a few people who got profit: San That, In Youhay, Koy Pech...........
On March 1970 a beg demonstration made by a group of workers from Kampong Cham and others to support Sihanouk.....A lot of people were die at Boeung Snor and Chroy Chang Var. They all were die for Sihanouk and how about their wife and their kids?
The red T shirt in Thailand as the same of Cambodian who support Sihanouk.
2:43,
There are two group of people. First, those who sacrifice themselve for the society, whole nation, all the people, future generation of the people...to ensure freedom, justice in the society, etc, keeping their personal interest in one side. We should respect them and support them. They sascrifice their lives, familieis, resources just for sake of the whole nation.
The other group just join the demonstration in order to get some personal benefit. They have no long-term vision. They are usually selfish. their own interest is more important than anything else. They dont care about future generation. If they belong to the government, they dare to kill demonstrators as long as it can keep them in power and protect the selfish interest. They always ask what are benefits before joining any activities.
You can decide which group you belong to?
To 5:40pm
I choose the first one.
Thailand can set great example for the entire region in Asia from being poor and unfortunate to a better state for tomorrow by creating a welfare department. This might also help to ease the tension with the red shirts. It sure looks like PM Abhisit with His Majesty King Bhumibal can. Not why it's not happening, because what he does so far is not effective.
Ordinary Khmer
Thais Gov'ts never care about my people, they had abused our people for so long in the Southern part, we will continue to fight until the last drop of Yala bloods...!
Ishsmalah,
Ishsmalah, I agree and will support your cause as long as you do it a peaceful manner.I would hate to see violence as a mean to achieve freedom and peace for your people. The ordinary people always end up with losing their lives.
But, if the Thai military use forces on ordinary citizen then, it's a fair game. I know it sounded like I contradict myself. However, my philopsopy is that you have to defense your self all the times from any enemy.
Khmer United
Thai people are more educate and brave than Cambodian. Thai leaders also are wiser than Cambodian. Cambodian should learn from Thai in all aspects, especially changing of old idiot idea.
God prediction:
1) Bangkok will be collapsed (political instability in the southern of thailand, the new movement of people in the northern of Thailand; a surge of red T-shirt groups against with the yellow T-shirt groups; a prediction of thai professor regarding the earthquake that will be happened in thai soon at Bangkok city; a proposal from former PM Chhavalit Chhong Chayouth for giving autonomy to the southern region of thailand etc...)
2) Phnom Penh was dissolved (already happened during 1975 - 1979: every thing gone).
3) Saigon (Preynokor in khmer name) of south vietnam was destroyed (already happened from 30 April 1975 by occupation of vietcong/north vietnam and changed the Saigon city name to be Hochi Minh city).
4) Happiness in Angkor Watt (ongoing developing).
ឥន្ទទំនាយ
១)បាងកករលំៈ អស្ថេរភាពនយោបាយនៅក្នុងប្រទេសវានឹងធ្វើឲបាងកករលំក្នុងពេលដ៏ឆាប់ខាងមុខមិនខានដោយហេតុថាមានបះបោរក្នុងខេត្តខ្លះនៅភាគខាងត្បូងប្រទេសដោយជនជាតិដើមមូស្លឹមម្ចាស់ដី-ការវឹកវរនយោបាយចេញពីជំលោះរវាងក្រុមអាវក្រហមនិងក្រអាវលឿង-មានការស្នើរឲមានស្វ័យតភាពខេត្តបះបោរនៅភាគខាងត្បូងពីលោកឆាវលីតឆុងឆៃយុទ្ធ ប្រធានគណៈបក្សភឿថៃ-ប្រជាជនជាតិដើមនៅខេត្តខ្លះភាគខាងជើងដូចជាឈៀងម៉ៃ ឈៀរៃ។ល។កំពុងតែមានការងើបប្រឆាំងនឹងរដ្ឋាភិបាលបច្ចុប្បន្ន។
២)ភ្នំពេញរលាយៈ រលាយរួចហើយពីឆ្នាំ១៩៧៥ដល់១៩៧៩ដោយពួកខ្មែរក្រហម។
៣)ព្រៃនគរខ្ចាត់ខ្ចាយៈ ខ្ចាត់ខ្ចាយរួចហើយនៅឆ្នាំ១៩៧៥ថ្ងៃ៣០ខែមេសា១៩៧៥ដោយពួកយួនកុម្មុនិស្ត(យួនខាងជើង)វាយបណ្តេញយួនសេរីធៀវគីអាមេរីកាំង(យួនខាងត្បូង)ហើយប្រែឈ្មោះទីក្រុងព្រៃនគរ (សាយហ្គង)ទៅជាទីក្រុងហូជីមីញវិញ។
៤)សប្បាយអង្គរវត្តៈ ទីក្រុងសៀមរាបអង្គរនៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជាកំពុងតែអភិវឌ្ឍន៏។
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