Red Shirts Deliver Ultimatum
The organisers of the mass political rally in Bangkok have made an announcement this afternoon (local time). Leaders of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) have issued an ultimatum to the Thai government and have said that if parliament is not dissolved within the next 24 hours and fresh elections called, then protests would spread. Before the rally, Thailand’s prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, said that although he would not bow to protest demands he did not rule out the possibility of negotiations with the UDD. The UDD have not said what form future protests would take and have also not yet given a clear time-line for the threatened action.
The main focus of the rally is Ratchadamnoen Road in Bangkok where police estimate up to 100,000 red shirt demonstrators have gathered. Reports say that the daytime crowd was good-natured and there were no reports of trouble. It was hoped the mood would remain calm into the evening when more protesters were expected to join the rally.
The UDD leaders have stated the current government is illegitimate and that in effect Thailand is being ruled by a dictatorship. Many of the protesters are supporters of former Thai leader, Thaksin Shinawatra who won two landslide elections before being ousted from power by a military coup in September 2006. In the last elections held since then, another pro-Thaksin group emerged as winners. That particular ruling party was later disqualified from office in December 2008 by a court ruling. The UDD and their supporters described this as a ‘judicial coup’ and a ’silent coup’ and it was on the back of this that the Democrat leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, became prime minister with a coalition government. Many local analysts believe that if elections were called immediately, then a pro-Thaksin red shirt group would once more be elected.
Thaksin Shinawatra addressed the Bangkok rally by phone link and thanked them for their support and encouraged the protesters to remain on the streets until the government falls. Last month, Thailand’s Supreme Court seized a large part of Thaksin’s fortune which has added to the political tension. Thaksin had been in Dubai but it has been reported that he has flown by private jet to Cambodia where he enjoys close ties with the Cambodian government. Thaksin has denied the reports and said he is not currently in Cambodia.
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