Protestors press Bangkok police headquarters

BANGKOK, July 7 (TNA) - Thousands of demonstrators calling for government action to follow through with prosecutions of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his associates rallied at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters in one of the capital's busiest roads Monday to denounce senior police officers and the current government allegedly acting in favour of the ousted premier.

Core leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) led a a number
of demonstrators wearing yellow shirts signifying allegiance to the Thai
monarch packed the road in front of the Royal Thai Police Headquarters
compound.

The PAD core leaders took turns to lambast a group of senior police
officers accused of failing to perform their duty to serve the public but
favouring the Samak Sundaravej administration and some ruling politicians,
all of whom are viewed by many demonstrators as being stand-ins for the
ousted premier.

One especially controversial case cited by the protest leaders is that
involving Jakrapob Penkair, former minister to the prime minister's office
who resigned last month after being accused of committing lese majeste.

Mr. Jakrapob is accused of challenging the monarchy in a speech he gave at
the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand in August last year in regard
to the 2006 military coup, which toppled then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Under heavy political pressure, Mr. Jakrapob announced his resignation in
May, saying that he wanted to relieve pressure on the ruling People Power
Party and the prime minister.

The PAD core leaders charged that police's inaction in this case is to
blame for the snail's-paced investigation.

Meanwhile, hundreds of police officers have been deployed to prevent any
untoward incident.

The demonstration brought the heavily-congested traffic on Rama I Road,
one of the capital's main thoroughfares, to a standstill. (TNA)