Democracy protesters confident of new administration with popular input

BANGKOK, July 5 (TNA) -- The anti-government activist group, People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has been demanding the departure of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej from office, wants to see a new government in which people have "sufficient" say on the future of the country.

Sondhi Limthongkul, one of several PAD core leaders, told rally attendees at Government House today that the people must have sufficient input in charting the future of the country and the government must not be allowed make decisions of its own accord as at present.

A new referendum must be held on where the country should be heading, Mr.Sondhi told the demonstrators.

The former media tycoon's views were delivered after retired Army
Maj-Gen., former Bangkok governor Chamlong Srimuang, another PAD leader, told the crowds that the democracy activist rally which has been ongoing since May 25 will eventually lead to a better political administration, not simply chasing the present government from office and opposing its plan to amend the 2007 constitution, prepared by military-appointed legal and constitutional experts.

Members and supporters of the PAD are for the first time this weekend meeting on a round-the-clock basis after the Civil Court on Monday issued a temporary injunction forcing the protestors to unblock two key roads near Government House and to stop using loudspeakers on weekdays between 7.30 am and 4.30 pm. The Civil Court upheld its earlier ruling on Wednesday despite a PAD appeal.

The court is scheduled to hold its next hearing Monday after the lawyer of the plaintiffs, comprising teachers and parents of the students at a school near the rally site, told the court that the defendants continued to block the roads and were not obeying the court injunction.