Anti-government protesters gathered in the Thai capital yesterday for their biggest rally yet in a final showdown with the government, while the military deployed soldiers to deter violence.
The protest group, which calls itself the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), hoped more than 100,000 supporters would join them yesterday evening or early this morning.
They were expected to try to march on parliament to disrupt a session of lawmakers today.
‘D-DAY’
“It will be D-Day. This will be our final push to bring down the government,” said protester Chokchuang Chutinaton, 64, as he and fellow protesters gathered at the Government House compound.
Alliance protesters have camped out Government House since August and are demanding that Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resign.
They accuse him of being a proxy for his brother-in-law, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup for alleged corruption and abuse of power.
ATTACKED
The protesters have been attacked several times by small bombs and grenades, including a blast on Thursday that killed one person and wounded 29, and another on Saturday that injured eight. No one took responsibility for the explosions.
The Thai military said that it was deploying more than 2,000 soldiers yesterday to deter violence. Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Khaewkamnerd said police would be responsible for keeping the situation under control, but that the army would be on standby in case police ask for help.
“We have prepared more than 2,000 soldiers to support them,” Sansern said.
Police said 2,400 police would be stationed outside parliament, which stands about a 1km from Government House, where the protesters were gathering.
CLASHES
The last time the protesters marched on parliament, street battles with police left two dead and hundreds wounded.
Nearly 100,000 protesters were involved in the demonstrations on Oct. 7, the biggest march so far and the country’s worst political violence in more than a decade.
“We expect for more than 100,000 supporters for the rally,” PAD spokesman Parnthep Wongpuapan said yesterday.
Key protest leader Chamlong Srimuang said on Saturday that the upcoming rally would be a final push.
“If we cannot drive out this illegal government then we will give up and let them do whatever they want to the country. Everyone in PAD will go home,” he said.
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