More than 1,000 die-hard supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday protested a stunning court ruling that banned his party and barred its entire leadership from politics for five years, saying the military-appointed tribunal lacked legitimacy.
Wearing yellow headbands that read "Coup leaders, get out," the group shouted and cheered every time Thaksin's name was mentioned.
"This is a fight by the people who are rejecting the judiciary's power," said Veera Musigapong, a former deputy leader of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party and one of the 111 leading party members, including Thaksin, banned from politics by Wednesday's ruling.
"As someone who was personally affected, I am not accepting the decision of the tribunal which was set up by the coup leaders and their illegitimate power," Veera said.
Some 150 police officers, bomb squad teams and police dogs were deployed in the area near the Royal Plaza, a large square in the heart of historic Bangkok. The plaza itself, where the demonstrators had initially hoped to rally, was blocked off by security officials.
Army commander General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said security has been beefed up throughout the city and would remain until it is clear that there will be no violent protests.
Thai Rak Thai was found guilty by the Constitutional Tribunal of financing obscure parties to run against it in last year's elections to get around rules requiring a minimum voter turnout.
Party leader Chaturon Chaisaeng said yesterday that a new Thai Rak Thai would try to register under the same name while its banned executives would attempt to engage in political activities short of running for office.
He said that the group hoped to meet Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Monday to ask him to revoke a ban on all political activities by parties that was imposed following a bloodless coup last September that ousted Thaksin.
Surayud has promised to lift the ban in September and hold general elections in December.
The decision against Thai Rak Thai came hours after the Democrat Party, the country's oldest and a bitter rival of Thaksin's party, was found innocent of election law violations.
Thaksin, who now resides in London, sent a handwritten letter to his party and supporters, urging them to continue their political activities for the benefit of the country.
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland yesterday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy. The US delegation has begun meetings in Geneva with a Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰), Xinhua News Agency said. Diplomats from both sides also confirmed that the talks have begun, but spoke anonymously and the exact location of the talks was not made public. Prospects for a major breakthrough appear dim, but there is
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
FALSE DOCUMENTS? Actor William Liao said he was ‘voluntarily cooperating’ with police after a suspect was accused of helping to produce false medical certificates Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned. The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents. Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients. As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents. The main suspect, a man surnamed
RSS