ID :
111464
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 21:56
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http://m.oananews.org//node/111464
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Red Shirts confident one million protester goal 'not a dream'
BANGKOK, March 13 (TNA) - Anti-government protesters have begun their activities on the main platform at Phan Fa Lilat Bridge on Bangkok’s Ratchadamnoen Avenue asserting that their claim of one million Red Shirt supporters on the way is not a dream and will pressure the government until they achieve their demand of a dissolution of the House and a fresh election.
The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) core leaders were on stage to welcome their supporters.
Nattawut Saikua, a top leader of the anti-government Red Shirts said they had evaluated the situation and their movement's strategy and that everything had been accomplished as planned.
The Red Shirts are confident that there will be one million protesters attending the demonstration on Sunday, he said.
"This is real, not a dream", Red Shirt leader Nattawut said emphatically.
He said that Sunday noon UDD leader Veera Musikapong will take the stage to officially announce the Red Shirt demand that the coalition government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolve the House and they the UDD requires an immediate response.
If the government ignores or refuses, he said, on Monday morning all Red Shirt protesters will march to press for their demand that the government dissolve parliament.
They plan to march on a route around Bangkok, but will not send smaller groups of protesters to many locations as expected earlier, he said.
Mr Nattawut said that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra would telephone his supporters Sunday evening.
Saturday is only the eve of the important day, Mr Veera told the protesters, advising them to rest well before the next mission.
Stay overnight on the street among the tents that had been set up for them, he told the gathering.
As the Red Shirts began their activities on stage, Rajdamnoen Avenue was forced to closed to traffic, while the Din Daeng area the traffic was stopped because many Red Shirt supporters from the provinces continued to move to Phan Fah Lilat Bridge.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-Gen Santan Chayanont declared a red alert, the highest level, in Bangkok to prevent violence.
A third party might try to incite violence and some protesters might move weapons secretly into the demonstration, he warned.
Riot control teams from 88 police stations, the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) team and the Naresuan 261 special operations unit, totaling 90 teams, have been briefed on the uniforms and vehicles to be used during operations and ways to tackle different situations.
All the units are on 24-hour alert to assure that the response plans are implemented according, he said.
In a related development, the Criminal Court an approved arrest warrant for Arisman Pongruengrong, a key UDD leader for inciting the public to overthrow the government.
The Red Shirt leader later appeared at the main protest venue at Phan Fah Lilat Bridge saying that the warrant was unfairly issued but that he would attend the protest and planned to surrender to police on April 1. (TNA)
The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) core leaders were on stage to welcome their supporters.
Nattawut Saikua, a top leader of the anti-government Red Shirts said they had evaluated the situation and their movement's strategy and that everything had been accomplished as planned.
The Red Shirts are confident that there will be one million protesters attending the demonstration on Sunday, he said.
"This is real, not a dream", Red Shirt leader Nattawut said emphatically.
He said that Sunday noon UDD leader Veera Musikapong will take the stage to officially announce the Red Shirt demand that the coalition government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolve the House and they the UDD requires an immediate response.
If the government ignores or refuses, he said, on Monday morning all Red Shirt protesters will march to press for their demand that the government dissolve parliament.
They plan to march on a route around Bangkok, but will not send smaller groups of protesters to many locations as expected earlier, he said.
Mr Nattawut said that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra would telephone his supporters Sunday evening.
Saturday is only the eve of the important day, Mr Veera told the protesters, advising them to rest well before the next mission.
Stay overnight on the street among the tents that had been set up for them, he told the gathering.
As the Red Shirts began their activities on stage, Rajdamnoen Avenue was forced to closed to traffic, while the Din Daeng area the traffic was stopped because many Red Shirt supporters from the provinces continued to move to Phan Fah Lilat Bridge.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-Gen Santan Chayanont declared a red alert, the highest level, in Bangkok to prevent violence.
A third party might try to incite violence and some protesters might move weapons secretly into the demonstration, he warned.
Riot control teams from 88 police stations, the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) team and the Naresuan 261 special operations unit, totaling 90 teams, have been briefed on the uniforms and vehicles to be used during operations and ways to tackle different situations.
All the units are on 24-hour alert to assure that the response plans are implemented according, he said.
In a related development, the Criminal Court an approved arrest warrant for Arisman Pongruengrong, a key UDD leader for inciting the public to overthrow the government.
The Red Shirt leader later appeared at the main protest venue at Phan Fah Lilat Bridge saying that the warrant was unfairly issued but that he would attend the protest and planned to surrender to police on April 1. (TNA)
