Thaksin supporters march into Bangkok

Protesters burn an effigy of Singapore's mythical Merlion featuring the head of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in front of Singapore's embassy in Bangkok yesterday. About 1,000 demonstrators demanded Singapore cancel the controversial sale of Shin Corp, the telecom empire that Thaksin founded, to the city-state's investment firm Temasek. PHOTO: AFP

A 30,000-strong "Caravan of the Poor" marched on Bangkok yesterday to demonstrate their backing of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is vowing to stay in his job despite mass protests against him in Bangkok.

The marchers, mostly farmers from northern provinces, regrouped on the outskirts of Bangkok and began arriving yesterday afternoon at the city's Chatuchak Park.

Organizer Kamta Kanbunchan told reporters that poor rural people are grateful for what Thaksin has done for them and that he should remain as prime minister.

Thaksin's populist policies have insured him widespread support in the countryside. But a loose alliance of pro-democracy groups, students, labor unions and Buddhist activists accuse him of corruption and the gutting of democratic institutions.

In what has become a daily event in the capital, anti-Thaksin groups marched to the Singaporean Embassy while the prime minister planned a day of political campaigning in two western provinces. The protesters say Thaksin sold off a national asset to a foreign country when his family's telecoms giant, Shin Corp, was bought up by a state-owned firm in Singapore.

Demonstrators also continued to ring Government House, the seat of government, vowing not to lift their around-the-clock peaceful siege until Thaksin resigned.

Thaksin denies any wrongdoing and has vowed to hold onto his job in the face of the street protests, saying he would not bow to mob rule but that he might retire from politics at a later date. Meanwhile, he is campaigning vigorously for April 2 snap elections he called to defuse the crisis.

"I will go forward and rely on the principles of democracy. If the people do not vote for me, I will back out. If the people go to exercise their right to vote on April 2, I ask that they please help bring me into the Government House," Thaksin told about 10,000 sugar cane farmers yesterday in Kanchanaburi Province.

A boycott of the election by the three opposition parties in parliament has sparked rising concern about whether there is any point to holding the polls, because it appears increasingly likely the results would not allow parliament to be legally convened.

Members of the Election Commission have said they are considering a postponement of the poll.

All 500 seats in the House of Representatives must have a winner in the elections for parliament to be legally convened.

However, many constituencies have only one candidate -- from Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party. And their victories would be valid only if candidates win the votes of at least 20 percent of the district's eligible voters, which is highly unlikely in some districts where the party has little support.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of Udom Kraiwatnuson, a Thai Rak Thai candidate in Samut Sakorn Province, whom the Election Commission had disqualified, said Somchit Thongpradap, the judge in charge of election court cases.

The verdict left the constituency as the first one with no candidate at all.

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