Thread: Bangkok PM ready to impose emergency decree

It reminds of that monty python film, "Life of Brian"?

New rally forms at Sanam Luang

BangkokPost.com, Agencies
Thousands of demonstrators have gathered for a Saturday evening anti-military protest at Sanam Luang plaza, their chief demand being for the military junta to quit. Organisers expected the crowd to swell to 50,000.
They have threatened to march on Army headquarters on Rajdamnoen Avenue and also to the residence of Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda to demand the dismantling of last year's coup and the restoration of the Thai Rak Thai party under the leadership of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

An estimated 2,000 police were posted outside Army Headquarters and at a bridge on Rajdamnoen Avenue to block the anticipated march, with another 4,000 sent to Sanam Luang - the Royal Grounds - a site for many past protests in Thailand's recent history.

"Tonight we will not use weapons," said Deputy National Police Chief General Wichian Potposri. "We are armed with only our shields and helmets, but we will not retreat and not allow anyone to be harmed."

The protesters have the goal of undoing the September 19 coup that ousted populist premier Thaksin and has led to the destruction of his once all-powerful political machine.

"We want to rid Thailand of dictators," said Jakrapob Penkair, a former spokesman for Thaksin when he was still prime minister. "The September 19 coup was illegal, so anything that happened after the September 19 coup should be nullified."

Jakrapod is now a director at the People's Television (PTV), a banned pro-Thaksin broadcasting group that is at the core of the anti-coup demonstration. PTV and other anti-coup groups have joined a loose alliance under the so-called United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UFDAD), leading the protests..

The anti-coup movement is mirror image of last year's anti-Thaksin protests that were spearheaded by the Sondhi Limthongkul and his Manager Media Group that later formed the core of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The PAD was influential in setting the stage for Thaksin's downfall on September 19, although it was the military that delivered the final blow.

The anti-coup coalition hope to be similarly successful in toppling the ruling junta and its appointed government and bringing back Thaksin.

"This is not an ideological struggle but a personality conflict," said Jakrapob. The demonstrators have targeted Prem's compound for their late night protest because they accuse the privy council president of supporting the coup and misrepresenting the wishes of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej last year, said Jakrapob.

This weekend's anti-coup protest follows the May 30 ruling of the Constitution Tribunal to dissolve Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party and ban the former prime minister and 110 of his party executives from politics for the next five years, effectively ending their political careers.

The tribunal's decision was followed up by a decision by the Assets Examination Committee on Monday to freeze 73 billion baht (2 billion dollars) in bank accounts owned by Thaksin and his family, in an attempt to deprive him of one of his key ingredients for power in Thailand's system of money politics - money.

Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon who was prime minister between 2001 to 2006, is currently living in exile in London. Coup leaders accused him and his cabinet of corruption, undermining democracy and dividing the nation.