Bangkok police warn of arrests ahead of rally

Police warned yesterday that anti-government protesters could face arrest if they paralyze Bangkok's central shopping district in efforts to pressure Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign ahead of weekend elections.

Stepping up demands for Thaksin to step down, anti-government campaigners have called for a rally today at the capital's newest and ritziest shopping malls, which will close for two days during the protest.

"The operators of Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery Center will close the malls on March 29 and 30," company executives said in a joint statement.

The three adjacent malls are home to the most coveted retail space in Bangkok, including hundreds of stores and restaurants, and are a major attraction for tourists in the Thai capital.

The demonstrators plan to camp out until the end of the week.

Lieutenant General Chaiyan Maklamthong, assistant police commissioner, said the protest "appears to be a provocation for traffic police to come and make arrests."

He said police were prepared to disperse the crowd if "a number of people file police complaints."

The protest comes ahead of Sunday snap elections called by Thaksin in efforts to defuse protests demanding his resignation. Opposition parties plan to boycott the election and deepened a political stalemate on Monday by rejecting an offer by Thaksin to form a national unity government if he wins re-election.

Tens of thousands of protesters have held anti-government rallies in Bangkok parks and outside of Thaksin's office almost daily for several weeks, accusing Thaksin of widespread corruption and abuse of power.

Protest organizers hope their new, high-profile venue near Bangkok's Siam Square shopping area will draw more protesters and send a message to Thaksin that business could suffer if he stays in power.

Police say the shopping area -- which is dense with overhead pedestrian bridges and multitiered walkways -- presents a bigger security challenge than previous rallies in parks and open spaces.

"We don't know how we're going to protect the area," said police Major General Wanit Suraphonchai, commander of the local precinct where the protest will be held. "We've told the protesters that it will be hard to take care of them in that area."