Thai protesters to quit commerce hub
Source: Agencies |
April 5, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THOUSANDS of anti-government demonstrators, facing threats of arrest, announced yesterday they would end their occupation of the Thai capital's commercial core but would continue their protest in another location in the city.
The decision appeared to head off a confrontation between the so-called Red Shirts and government forces, who said they were prepared to use tough measures to clear the protesters from the area, which they began occupying on Saturday.
The protest has forced the closure of at least six upscale shopping malls and tough security measures at nearby five-star hotels, with economic losses estimated at up to 500 million baht (US$15 million) a day.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has repeatedly refused the Red Shirts' demand he immediately dissolve Parliament and call new elections, despite four weeks of protests in the capital and unsuccessful negotiations last week.
Jatuporn Prompan, a protest leader, said yesterday evening the demonstrators would move to an undisclosed location in the morning - just before the government said it would obtain a court order to clear the commercial district.
Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kawekamnerd warned the Red Shirts not to move to other nearby business or residential areas.
Many of the mainly poor, rural protesters slept on Saturday night on trash-strewn pavements in the shadow of the luxury hotels and shopping centers.
"I'm impressed by the leaders. They've shown the tough stuff that we so need," said Thongyoi Jitmun, a protester from northeastern Thailand. "For the government's part, their effort has been futile. What else can they do to us? We're told what we're doing is legal. I'm not going to give up so easily. We only live once."
But many showed signs of fatigue. To escape the scorching sun, weary protesters huddled in the shade of an entrance to a closed shopping mall.
Among the businesses affected were Siam Paragon, one of the fanciest shopping malls in Southeast Asia, and hotels like the Grant Hyatt Erawan Hotel and the InterContinental Bangkok.
Pam Napsri, a manager with the InterContinental Hotel Group in Thailand, said the protesters had been cooperative and allowed guests to freely go in and out of the 381-room hotel.
But some hotel functions, were canceled and some hotel guests left before their scheduled departure.
The Red Shirt movement consists largely of supporters of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-democracy activists who opposed a 2006 military coup that ousted him on corruption allegations.
The decision appeared to head off a confrontation between the so-called Red Shirts and government forces, who said they were prepared to use tough measures to clear the protesters from the area, which they began occupying on Saturday.
The protest has forced the closure of at least six upscale shopping malls and tough security measures at nearby five-star hotels, with economic losses estimated at up to 500 million baht (US$15 million) a day.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has repeatedly refused the Red Shirts' demand he immediately dissolve Parliament and call new elections, despite four weeks of protests in the capital and unsuccessful negotiations last week.
Jatuporn Prompan, a protest leader, said yesterday evening the demonstrators would move to an undisclosed location in the morning - just before the government said it would obtain a court order to clear the commercial district.
Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kawekamnerd warned the Red Shirts not to move to other nearby business or residential areas.
Many of the mainly poor, rural protesters slept on Saturday night on trash-strewn pavements in the shadow of the luxury hotels and shopping centers.
"I'm impressed by the leaders. They've shown the tough stuff that we so need," said Thongyoi Jitmun, a protester from northeastern Thailand. "For the government's part, their effort has been futile. What else can they do to us? We're told what we're doing is legal. I'm not going to give up so easily. We only live once."
But many showed signs of fatigue. To escape the scorching sun, weary protesters huddled in the shade of an entrance to a closed shopping mall.
Among the businesses affected were Siam Paragon, one of the fanciest shopping malls in Southeast Asia, and hotels like the Grant Hyatt Erawan Hotel and the InterContinental Bangkok.
Pam Napsri, a manager with the InterContinental Hotel Group in Thailand, said the protesters had been cooperative and allowed guests to freely go in and out of the 381-room hotel.
But some hotel functions, were canceled and some hotel guests left before their scheduled departure.
The Red Shirt movement consists largely of supporters of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-democracy activists who opposed a 2006 military coup that ousted him on corruption allegations.
- 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.
