Leaders to scale down Thai protests
Source: Agencies |
March 18, 2010, Thursday
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LEADERS of Thailand's anti-government protesters said yesterday they will remain camped out in Bangkok indefinitely, though in smaller numbers.
Hoping to bring down Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government, red-shirted protesters hurled plastic bags filled with their own blood into his residential compound yesterday - following similar protests the day before at his office and the headquarters of his Democrat Party.
Several thousand later gathered in front of the United States Embassy, saying they wanted to tell the international community that their government is illegitimate.
The "blood sacrifices" grabbed attention, but put the Red Shirt movement no closer to its goal of forcing new elections.
The announcement of plans for an extended protest contrasts sharply with pre-demonstration boasts that they would mount a "million-man march," putting enough pressure on the government to topple it within a few days. More than 100,000 demonstrators converged on the capital on Sunday but the crowd had shrunk to around 40,000 yesterday, according to police.
The protesters consist of supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup for alleged corruption, and pro-democracy activists who opposed the army takeover. They believe Abhisit came to power illegitimately with the connivance of the military and other parts of the traditional ruling class and want new elections.
The Red Shirt leaders said they will maintain their protest, but on a smaller scale. They are encamped in an area of the old part of Bangkok that is a traditional venue for political protests.
"We'll maintain our stronghold, but there will be rotation of manpower," said one of the protest leaders, Veera Musikapong. "When the time is right, we will call for a 'million-man march' again."
The group also reaffirmed its commitment to nonviolence, and said it was breaking ties with allies who had made threats of attacks if faced with government repression.
"We can rotate the people from Bangkok and provinces," said Nattawut Saikua, a protest leader. "If we camp out here, Abhisit can't go home. Now he has to stay in an army camp."
Abhisit has been sleeping at an army base and taking frequent trips out of the city since preliminary protests began on Friday.
Yesterday, riot police first blocked all approaches to Abhisit's walled compound in an area that is home to many wealthy Thais and expatriates. But after negotiations, three dozen demonstrators were allowed through the cordon carrying about six 5-liter plastic jugs filled with blood.
They splattered blood across Abhisit's front gate and poured some of it into plastic bags that they hurled at the home, leaving the walls, roof and grounds smeared with red.
Hoping to bring down Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government, red-shirted protesters hurled plastic bags filled with their own blood into his residential compound yesterday - following similar protests the day before at his office and the headquarters of his Democrat Party.
Several thousand later gathered in front of the United States Embassy, saying they wanted to tell the international community that their government is illegitimate.
The "blood sacrifices" grabbed attention, but put the Red Shirt movement no closer to its goal of forcing new elections.
The announcement of plans for an extended protest contrasts sharply with pre-demonstration boasts that they would mount a "million-man march," putting enough pressure on the government to topple it within a few days. More than 100,000 demonstrators converged on the capital on Sunday but the crowd had shrunk to around 40,000 yesterday, according to police.
The protesters consist of supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup for alleged corruption, and pro-democracy activists who opposed the army takeover. They believe Abhisit came to power illegitimately with the connivance of the military and other parts of the traditional ruling class and want new elections.
The Red Shirt leaders said they will maintain their protest, but on a smaller scale. They are encamped in an area of the old part of Bangkok that is a traditional venue for political protests.
"We'll maintain our stronghold, but there will be rotation of manpower," said one of the protest leaders, Veera Musikapong. "When the time is right, we will call for a 'million-man march' again."
The group also reaffirmed its commitment to nonviolence, and said it was breaking ties with allies who had made threats of attacks if faced with government repression.
"We can rotate the people from Bangkok and provinces," said Nattawut Saikua, a protest leader. "If we camp out here, Abhisit can't go home. Now he has to stay in an army camp."
Abhisit has been sleeping at an army base and taking frequent trips out of the city since preliminary protests began on Friday.
Yesterday, riot police first blocked all approaches to Abhisit's walled compound in an area that is home to many wealthy Thais and expatriates. But after negotiations, three dozen demonstrators were allowed through the cordon carrying about six 5-liter plastic jugs filled with blood.
They splattered blood across Abhisit's front gate and poured some of it into plastic bags that they hurled at the home, leaving the walls, roof and grounds smeared with red.
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