Thousands of protesters clad in bright yellow marched to the British embassy in Bangkok yesterday to demand that ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra be sent home to face corruption charges.
Chanting “Return Thaksin home” and waving banners reading “Most wanted criminals: Thaksin and [his wife] Pojaman,” the noisy crowd blocked traffic in one of the capital’s main shopping districts.
“We are coming here to submit a letter to the British government asking them to return Thaksin to receive justice in Thailand,” Chamlong Srimuang, one of the protest leaders, told the crowd.
PHOTO: AFP
The letter handed to a representative of ambassador Quinton Quayle urged the British government to turn down any request for political asylum, although Thaksin has so far given no indication that he would seek formal asylum.
“Thaksin fled the indictment to London and is planning to seek asylum in Britain,” the letter said. “If Thaksin is not brought back to face the charges against him in Thai courts, it will further contribute to the political and democratic deadlock.”
A spokesman from the British embassy said that the letter would be passed on to London.
“Extradition requests are decided in strict accordance with the law,” he said.
Colonel Rapeepong Supornsri, deputy commander of Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police, said up to 8,000 protesters flooded the streets, with no violence reported. The protesters began to disperse at lunchtime.
The many demonstrators wore yellow T-shirts and headscarfs — a show of allegiance to the king — and carried signs in English and Thai.
“Thaksin is not a political refugee but a criminal evading an arrest warrant,” one banner hoisted above the crowd read.
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