Red Shirts offer compromise deal
Source: Agencies |
April 24, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
"RED Shirt" protesters offered a compromise to the Thai government yesterday a day after a series of grenade attacks in Bangkok, saying they would accept dissolution of parliament in 30 days rather than immediately.
They also called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to begin an independent probe into a deadly clash between protesters and the army on April 10 that killed 25 people, and said troops must be withdrawn from areas around their protest site.
"The government must stop all threats against our movement," Weng Tojirakarn, a Red Shirt leader, said from a stage at their protest site in the heart of Bangkok's commercial district.
The new demands came shortly after army chief Anupong Paochinda told a meeting of his commanders there would be no crackdown on the protesters camped out in the capital because it would do more harm than good.
Five grenade attacks in Bangkok's bustling business district on Thursday night killed one person and wounded more than 80 people, fueling concern over the escalating crisis and putting the city of 15 million people on edge.
Thousands of red-shirted supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra remain in a fortified encampment at a ritzy shopping area of central Bangkok, vowing to stay until Abhisit dissolves parliament for new elections.
The grenade blasts near the racy bars of Patpong came 12 days after a failed army attempt to evict protesters from a rally site, which killed 25 and injured over 800.
Yesterday morning, police demanded the Red Shirts dismantle their barricade of tires, bamboo poles and chunks of concrete near the entrance to Silom Road and the business district. They pulled back after the Red Shirts poured fuel on the barricade.
The country's split is reflected in a split in the army. One faction supports the protesters, including retired generals allied with Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.
They also called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to begin an independent probe into a deadly clash between protesters and the army on April 10 that killed 25 people, and said troops must be withdrawn from areas around their protest site.
"The government must stop all threats against our movement," Weng Tojirakarn, a Red Shirt leader, said from a stage at their protest site in the heart of Bangkok's commercial district.
The new demands came shortly after army chief Anupong Paochinda told a meeting of his commanders there would be no crackdown on the protesters camped out in the capital because it would do more harm than good.
Five grenade attacks in Bangkok's bustling business district on Thursday night killed one person and wounded more than 80 people, fueling concern over the escalating crisis and putting the city of 15 million people on edge.
Thousands of red-shirted supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra remain in a fortified encampment at a ritzy shopping area of central Bangkok, vowing to stay until Abhisit dissolves parliament for new elections.
The grenade blasts near the racy bars of Patpong came 12 days after a failed army attempt to evict protesters from a rally site, which killed 25 and injured over 800.
Yesterday morning, police demanded the Red Shirts dismantle their barricade of tires, bamboo poles and chunks of concrete near the entrance to Silom Road and the business district. They pulled back after the Red Shirts poured fuel on the barricade.
The country's split is reflected in a split in the army. One faction supports the protesters, including retired generals allied with Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
