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Red shirts target military base
[Straits Times] THOUSANDS of anti-government protesters in Bangkok plan to march to a military base on Monday to step up pressure on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections.The red-shirted supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra have given the government an ultimatum: call elections by midday on Monday or face crippling mass demonstrations. The protests which began on Friday and involved more than 150,000 people by Sunday have been peaceful, and the 'red shirts' say they will remain that way. But Monday's march could stoke anger by paralysing already-congested streets in Bangkok. 'We will march over there, brothers and sisters. We will go to the infantry to get an answer from Abhisit himself,' said Mr Nattawut Saikua, a leader of the protest group, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). 'With this many people on the streets, I don't see how he still thinks he has any legitimacy,' he added. Protest leaders hope a powerful display of popular support will force Mr Abhisit to dissolve parliament and call an election that Thaksin allies would be well-placed to win. They also want to convince wavering partners in his coalition to break away. Posted by: Fred 2010-03-15 |
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