Red Shirts vow to topple government in 7 days in March mass rally

BANGKOK, Feb 23 (TNA) - A key leader of Thailand's anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Tuesday announced that the group will rally in March with at least one million Red Shirt supporters joining the protest to oust the Abhisit Vejjajiva government within seven days.

Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan said the movement's key leaders will meet Wednesday to set the date for their mass rally next month.

Mr Jatuporn said the Red Shirt mass rally will not extend to the traditional Thai New Year Songkran Festival, and expressed confidence that the UDD rally will be able to topple the Democrat-led coalition government within seven days.

He said one million UDD demonstrators, supported by 100,000 pickup trucks, will join the mass rally to take place from Bangkok's Sanam Luang through Ratchadamnoen Avenue and the Royal Plaza.

The UDD leader said that Red Shirts will block key army camps in Prachin Buri, Lop Buri and Kanchanaburi provinces.

The Red Shirts earlier rallied sporadically against the government for the month leading up to this Friday (February 26), the date which the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions will announce its ruling whether or not to seize the Bt76 billion(US$2.3 billion) in frozen assets of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Red Shirt leaders earlier announced that no mass rally will be held on the judgement day itself, but has gone to some lengths to explain and encourage Red Shirts as individuals to exercise their right to appear at the Supreme Court to show their support for the convicted ex-premier.

Meanwhile, the Red Siam faction of the Red Shirt movement, led by Surachai Saedan, announced Tuesday that it will erect a temporary stage at Sanam Luang from Thursday through Saturday, February 25-27, from 5pm to midnight each day.

Mr Surachai said his faction's gathering is not meant to oppose the court verdict on Mr Thaksin's frozen assets, but to inform the Red Shirt supporters about the legal procedure of the case and prevent them from rallying at the Supreme Court on the day of the verdict.

Following some news reports that an armed group planned to incite chaos in the capital during the Friday court verdict, National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Tawin Pleansri dismissed the rumours, saying that no one can take the law into their own hands.

Mr Tawin said no matter the decision of the court is, there will be satisfaction and dissatisfaction among people of differing views, He urged the Thai public to look and think forward to get the country out of this crisis.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reassured the Thai public that the government can handle the situation and that it is not necessary to invoke any special security law.

Mr Abhisit brushed aside Mr Thaksin's suggestion that he is willing to reconcile if the government grants him amnesty, saying he is willing to talk with the ousted premier on the condition that Mr Thaksin respects the country's legal procedures.

"If Mr Thaksin respects the law, I can negotiate with him," said the premier."If he [Mr Thaksin] does not accept the legal process, I can't talk with him."

Mr Abhisit added that the government won't bow to any threat and is duty-bound in maintain law and order in the society. (TNA)