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114728
Sat, 04/03/2010 - 10:11
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Red Shirts set to launch 'biggest ever mass rally' to force government to dissolve House
BANGKOK, April 2 (TNA) - Thailand's anti-government 'Red-Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Friday announced that they would mobilise the biggest ever mass rally on Saturday to push for their demand to dissolve Parliament immediately, but the destination will not be disclosed until Saturday, according to UDD leader Natthawut Saikua.
Mr Natthawut said the Red Shirts would start their mobile rally at 9am Saturday to undisclosed destinations. He stressed that the demonstration would be peaceful in pressing for House dissolution.
The UDD leader said the Red Shirts wanted the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) to work harder to evaluate and predict the Red Shirt's plan on Saturday.
He added that the numbers of red-clad supporters who would join the protest would break the record since UDD staged rallies over the past two weeks.
As for the prospect of future talks with the government, Mr Natthawut said it was almost impossible because the government was insincere about holding talks with the Red Shirts in the first place.
He claimed that the government wanted to stay in power to complete the army reshuffle list, to appoint Deputy Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha to succeed Army Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda who is scheduled to retire at the end of September.
He said the Red Shirt followers are ready to prolong the movement's "fight for democracy" and did not set a time frame to end its protest or to achieve its goal.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said earlier that the government would not return to the negotiation table if the Red Shirt protesters moved from Phan Fa Bridge to protest at various locations.
The premier said the time frame for House dissolution was not the condition, but rather how to bring the country back to normalcy, peacefully and how [the country] could move forward was the objective.
"The demand for House dissolution will be met only if it benefits the public, not for any particular person or group," he said.
If this could be agreed upon, the talks could resume, he said, stressing that the government was not underdog of the Red Shirt protesters.
Mr Abhisit said the demonstration over the past 20 days had impacted the feelings of people who were affected by the protest. He pledged to do his best to handle the situation and wanted all Thais, of whatever political colour, to enjoy and celebrate the Songkran Festival (Thai traditional New Year) in the middle of the month.
The key Red Shirt key leaders earlier Friday submitted a letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton via the spokesman of the US embassy in Bangkok, Mark Turner, to reaffirm the group's voiced commitment to non-violent demonstrations and to express their appreciation for what they said was the US government's position in supporting their peaceful protests.
The embassy spokesman said after receiving the UDD letter that it is the right of people in a democratic state to protest, saying that the US embassy in Thailand wants the Red Shirt protesters to announce their clear position that they will demonstrate peacefully with no use of violence, while urging them to condemn a string of violent incidents which occurred recently.
Mr Turner said the embassy will read the UDD letter and will forward it to Mrs Clinton.
The embassy spokesman reiterated that both the Thai government and the Red Shirt movement should be patient over the current political standoff, reaffirming that the United States is still a friend of the Thai people, no matter what their political colour.
The Red Shirt's move came after State Department spokesman Mark Toner earlier said on March 30 in Washington that the United States was encouraged by the recent talks between the Thai government and the protest leaders.
The spokesman said that "peaceful demonstrations are a hallmark of a democratic society, and we certainly call on protestors and their leaders to foreswear the use of violence and to exercise their right to assemble and protest peacefully in accordance with the law."
In related development, appointed senators Piboon Nititawan and Prasarn Maruekapitak said a group of citizens will petition by letter next week for impeachment of Puea Thai member of parliament Jatuporn Prompan, a top Red Shirt leader.
The senators said that MP Jatuporn's threat to rally at Lumpini Park to oppose the demonstration of pink-shirted group was considered an infringement of people’s right to stage a peaceful demonstration.
His threat was improper and was deemed as wrongful act, the senators said.
Mr Prasarn also claimed that the planned mass rally of the red-clad protesters on Saturday would cause turmoil, claiming a source from the group said 5,000 motorcycle drivers were hired at a fee of 1,000 baht each per day to join the movement. (TNA)
Mr Natthawut said the Red Shirts would start their mobile rally at 9am Saturday to undisclosed destinations. He stressed that the demonstration would be peaceful in pressing for House dissolution.
The UDD leader said the Red Shirts wanted the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) to work harder to evaluate and predict the Red Shirt's plan on Saturday.
He added that the numbers of red-clad supporters who would join the protest would break the record since UDD staged rallies over the past two weeks.
As for the prospect of future talks with the government, Mr Natthawut said it was almost impossible because the government was insincere about holding talks with the Red Shirts in the first place.
He claimed that the government wanted to stay in power to complete the army reshuffle list, to appoint Deputy Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha to succeed Army Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda who is scheduled to retire at the end of September.
He said the Red Shirt followers are ready to prolong the movement's "fight for democracy" and did not set a time frame to end its protest or to achieve its goal.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said earlier that the government would not return to the negotiation table if the Red Shirt protesters moved from Phan Fa Bridge to protest at various locations.
The premier said the time frame for House dissolution was not the condition, but rather how to bring the country back to normalcy, peacefully and how [the country] could move forward was the objective.
"The demand for House dissolution will be met only if it benefits the public, not for any particular person or group," he said.
If this could be agreed upon, the talks could resume, he said, stressing that the government was not underdog of the Red Shirt protesters.
Mr Abhisit said the demonstration over the past 20 days had impacted the feelings of people who were affected by the protest. He pledged to do his best to handle the situation and wanted all Thais, of whatever political colour, to enjoy and celebrate the Songkran Festival (Thai traditional New Year) in the middle of the month.
The key Red Shirt key leaders earlier Friday submitted a letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton via the spokesman of the US embassy in Bangkok, Mark Turner, to reaffirm the group's voiced commitment to non-violent demonstrations and to express their appreciation for what they said was the US government's position in supporting their peaceful protests.
The embassy spokesman said after receiving the UDD letter that it is the right of people in a democratic state to protest, saying that the US embassy in Thailand wants the Red Shirt protesters to announce their clear position that they will demonstrate peacefully with no use of violence, while urging them to condemn a string of violent incidents which occurred recently.
Mr Turner said the embassy will read the UDD letter and will forward it to Mrs Clinton.
The embassy spokesman reiterated that both the Thai government and the Red Shirt movement should be patient over the current political standoff, reaffirming that the United States is still a friend of the Thai people, no matter what their political colour.
The Red Shirt's move came after State Department spokesman Mark Toner earlier said on March 30 in Washington that the United States was encouraged by the recent talks between the Thai government and the protest leaders.
The spokesman said that "peaceful demonstrations are a hallmark of a democratic society, and we certainly call on protestors and their leaders to foreswear the use of violence and to exercise their right to assemble and protest peacefully in accordance with the law."
In related development, appointed senators Piboon Nititawan and Prasarn Maruekapitak said a group of citizens will petition by letter next week for impeachment of Puea Thai member of parliament Jatuporn Prompan, a top Red Shirt leader.
The senators said that MP Jatuporn's threat to rally at Lumpini Park to oppose the demonstration of pink-shirted group was considered an infringement of people’s right to stage a peaceful demonstration.
His threat was improper and was deemed as wrongful act, the senators said.
Mr Prasarn also claimed that the planned mass rally of the red-clad protesters on Saturday would cause turmoil, claiming a source from the group said 5,000 motorcycle drivers were hired at a fee of 1,000 baht each per day to join the movement. (TNA)
