ID :
47595
Wed, 02/25/2009 - 20:20
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http://m.oananews.org//node/47595
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Anti-government protesters briefly rally at Foreign Ministry
BANGKOK, Feb 25 (TNA) - Anti-government protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Wednesday demonstrated briefly at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to put pressure on the Democrat-led government to remove Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya from his post.
In the second day of protests, the UDD, the so-called Red Shirt group supporting ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, surrounded Government House and vowed to prolong the protest until their demands were met.
Dismissing the foreign minister a key demand because of Mr. Kasit’s links to the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). Other demands include dissolution of the House of Representatives to make ready to call a general election, bring those who had occupied Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports and Government House to justice, and amend the Constitution according to their requirements.
A splinter group of UDD protesters who encamped overnight near Government House went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday afternoon to protest against the minister.
Some 1,000 protesters gathered in front of the ministry on Rama VI road side amid tight security and threw eggs at Mr. Kasit's effigy before setting fire to the dummy.
They spent 30 minutes in front of the ministry before returning to their main protest site surrounding Government House.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva thanked the UDD for their peaceful protest, but he advised the security forces to not underestimate the situation.
Mr. Abhisit said that despite loud noise from the protester's stage, he could work normally at his office in Government House. He said the intensity of the protest until now was acceptable.
He admitted that there were people who disagreed with him and the government, but they should express their opinions within legal bounds and respect other people's rights.
The prime minister said he could not say how long the protest would last and believed that the gathering would not impact the leaders meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN Summit) in the southern seaside resort town of Hua Hin on Friday.
Evan as the protesters surrounded Government House, Mr. Abhisit welcomed ASEAN defence ministers attending the third defence ministers meeting in Chonburi.
Mr. Abhisit said he hoped the regional defence ministers meeting would bear fruit, as did the ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers Meeting in Phuket on February 22.
The ASEAN defence ministers affirmed the region's military cooperation of as being successful as a main pillar of ASEAN, along with foreign affairs and economic cooperation. (TNA)
In the second day of protests, the UDD, the so-called Red Shirt group supporting ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, surrounded Government House and vowed to prolong the protest until their demands were met.
Dismissing the foreign minister a key demand because of Mr. Kasit’s links to the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). Other demands include dissolution of the House of Representatives to make ready to call a general election, bring those who had occupied Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports and Government House to justice, and amend the Constitution according to their requirements.
A splinter group of UDD protesters who encamped overnight near Government House went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday afternoon to protest against the minister.
Some 1,000 protesters gathered in front of the ministry on Rama VI road side amid tight security and threw eggs at Mr. Kasit's effigy before setting fire to the dummy.
They spent 30 minutes in front of the ministry before returning to their main protest site surrounding Government House.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva thanked the UDD for their peaceful protest, but he advised the security forces to not underestimate the situation.
Mr. Abhisit said that despite loud noise from the protester's stage, he could work normally at his office in Government House. He said the intensity of the protest until now was acceptable.
He admitted that there were people who disagreed with him and the government, but they should express their opinions within legal bounds and respect other people's rights.
The prime minister said he could not say how long the protest would last and believed that the gathering would not impact the leaders meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN Summit) in the southern seaside resort town of Hua Hin on Friday.
Evan as the protesters surrounded Government House, Mr. Abhisit welcomed ASEAN defence ministers attending the third defence ministers meeting in Chonburi.
Mr. Abhisit said he hoped the regional defence ministers meeting would bear fruit, as did the ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers Meeting in Phuket on February 22.
The ASEAN defence ministers affirmed the region's military cooperation of as being successful as a main pillar of ASEAN, along with foreign affairs and economic cooperation. (TNA)
