'Red shirts' try to win over Bangkok
Source: Agencies |
March 21, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THOUSANDS of opposition activists paraded through Thailand's sprawling capital yesterday in a bid to win over Bangkok's middle classes to their anti-government campaign.
The red-shirted supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra moved around the city of 15 million people in a 13-kilometer convoy, handing out leaflets saying "We love Bangkokians" and calling on urban sympathizers to join their push for new elections.
Shaking their trademark clappers and waving flags, they moved at a snail's pace along the 46-kilometer route in a convoy of thousands of motorcycles, taxis and overloaded pickup trucks, cheering, singing songs and honking horns.
"We want to invite Bangkok residents to oust aristocrats and the government," one of the red-shirted leaders said.
The weeklong rally, which drew up to 150,000 people last Sunday, has so far been peaceful, boosting investor sentiment and helping to lift Thai stocks to a 20-month high.
Foreign investors have in the last month pumped 35.5 billion baht (US$1.09 billion) into the bourse, one of Asia's cheapest, much of it based on confidence that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government will ride out the storm.
Blocked from his office and parliament and steering clear of his home for security reasons, Abhisit spent another day at his heavily fortified military compound.
He has refused to bow to protesters' demands for a new election, insisting the country is too divided to go to the polls.
Abhisit said he was willing to hold talks with protesters to end the deadlock but insisted that Thaksin should play no part.
The red-shirted supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra moved around the city of 15 million people in a 13-kilometer convoy, handing out leaflets saying "We love Bangkokians" and calling on urban sympathizers to join their push for new elections.
Shaking their trademark clappers and waving flags, they moved at a snail's pace along the 46-kilometer route in a convoy of thousands of motorcycles, taxis and overloaded pickup trucks, cheering, singing songs and honking horns.
"We want to invite Bangkok residents to oust aristocrats and the government," one of the red-shirted leaders said.
The weeklong rally, which drew up to 150,000 people last Sunday, has so far been peaceful, boosting investor sentiment and helping to lift Thai stocks to a 20-month high.
Foreign investors have in the last month pumped 35.5 billion baht (US$1.09 billion) into the bourse, one of Asia's cheapest, much of it based on confidence that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government will ride out the storm.
Blocked from his office and parliament and steering clear of his home for security reasons, Abhisit spent another day at his heavily fortified military compound.
He has refused to bow to protesters' demands for a new election, insisting the country is too divided to go to the polls.
Abhisit said he was willing to hold talks with protesters to end the deadlock but insisted that Thaksin should play no part.
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