| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| 'Red shirts' rally in Thai capital |
| 2011-01-10 |
| [Al Jazeera] About 30,000 supporters of Thailand's "red shirt" movement have gathered in the capital, Bangkok, demanding the release of the group's leaders who were nabbed in the wake of last year's deadly violence. Sunday's anti-government protest appeared to be peaceful on the lam, but a brief scuffle occurred in the upmarket Ratchaprasongan shopping area where police had tried to seal off the main intersection with barricades. A few hundred protesters hurled plastic water bottles and pushed past the police, who stepped aside to avoid further conflict. More than 1,000 police were deployed across the city. Jatuporn Prompan, a red shirt leader who avoided arrest because he has parliamentary immunity, vowed to hold "frequent and symbolic gatherings" twice a month - a change from the large sit-in last year that lasted 10 weeks and prompted a violent crackdown. "We have learned a lesson that big gatherings will not lead to the result we want," Jatuporn said. About 90 people were killed and more than 1,400 were maimed in the March-May unrest, as the protesters tried to force Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, to call early elections. Ban lifted The rally comes as Abhisit has announced nine welfare policies, aimed at addressing social inequalities and helping low-income groups in the country. Sunday's protest was the first major rally since Abhisit's government on December 22 lifted a state of emergency in Bangkok that technically barred gatherings of more than five people. |
| Posted by:Fred |