>Home>News Center>World
         
 

Thai police beef up security
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-13 14:09

Police heightened security in the Thai capital Monday, putting 20,000 officers on standby ahead of a mass rally planned by protesters seeking the resignation of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Protesters shout slogans against Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during protest in Bangkok. The weekly protests to force Thaksin from office divides Bangkok into two cities -- one of late-night political rallies and one where business continues as usual. [AFP]
 

Organizers of the anti-Thaksin rally hoped as many as 100,000 people would camp through the night at a Bangkok park ahead of an early Tuesday march to Thaksin's office at Government House, a few kilometers away.

Farmers, teachers and thousands of state employees opposed to Thaksin's rule were traveling to the capital to take part in the rally, organizers said.

Metropolitan Police spokesman Col. Pinit Maneerat said police had received reports that Thaksin supporters were planning their own rally in Bangkok, stirring concerns of a standoff between the opposing camps.

"Police are well prepared to keep peace and order," Pinit said. "We will do our best to prevent any confrontations."

Tuesday's march to Government House was planned to coincide with Thaksin's weekly Cabinet meeting, though reports have said the prime minister might cancel the meeting or change its location.

Tens of thousands of protesters have been demanding Thaksin's resignation in regular weekend rallies, accusing the tycoon-turned-politician of corruption, mishandling a Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand, stifling the media, and allowing cronies to reap gains from state policies.

Protesters have come mainly from Bangkok's urban middle class, but Tuesday's rally was expected to draw a broader mix of Thai society.

Labor unions representing state-owned utilities and rail workers have called on employees to join the rally to protest Thaksin's privatization plans.

Somsak Kosaisook, secretary general of the Federation of State Enterprise Labor Unions, said he expected some 30,000 rail workers and employees of electricity and water utilities to walk off the job in protest. The union has said that essential staff will remain at work to prevent services from being disrupted.

Thaksin, who has repeatedly said he will not bow to the protesters, dissolved Parliament last month and called for early elections on April 2, in hopes of renewing his mandate and defusing the street protests. He has offered to resign if his party fails to secure more than half the votes in the elections.

Opposition parties have vowed to boycott the polls.

Thaksin was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term last year when his party won 377 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives. His party is favored in rural constituencies, which have benefited from his populist policies.

The anti-Thaksin campaign swelled last month after the prime minister's family sold its controlling stake in telecom giant Shin Corp. (SHIN.TH) to a Singapore state-owned investment company for THB73.3 billion ($1.9 billion).

Critics allege the sale involved insider trading and tax dodges and complain that a key national asset is now in the hands of a foreign government. The protesters sought Singapore's help in annulling the deal.

In an unexpected development, all Thai television stations on Sunday night broadcast old footage of King Bhumibol Adulyadej counseling nonviolence during a political crisis nearly 14 years ago, suggesting his advice was useful today because of new divisions threatening the country.

The May 20, 1992, footage showed the nation's revered king telling then-Prime Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon and Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of a pro-democracy movement, to mend their differences.

The audience was called by the king after pro-democracy demonstrations turned violent. The army suppressed the protests and dozens of civilians were killed.

Most Thai TV stations are government-owned. An announcer introduced Sunday night's clip by saying the footage should serve as a reminder and warning to all parties in the current crisis to avoid letting their confrontation spin out of control.

Chamlong is also a leader of the anti-Thaksin movement.



Israeli army take Jericho jail
Arroyo meets with New Zealand PM Clark
Chile's new president sworn in
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Wen: We're keeping close eye on secessionist moves

 

   
 

Premier rules out RMB one-off surprise rise

 

   
 

NPC endorses shift in economic policy

 

   
 

Communication channel with Dalai Lama open

 

   
 

Iraq edges closer to open civil warfare

 

   
 

Minister: Stay away from wild birds

 

   
  Dam in Hawaii bursts; 1 dead, 7 missing
   
  Iraq edges closer to open civil warfare
   
  UN chief meets South African president
   
  U.N. Council faces impasse on Iran crisis
   
  Baghdad police find 65 bodies in 24 hour
   
  London bombings payments hit 錕斤拷7m
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产亚洲人成网站在线观看| 天天操天天干天天做| 亚洲人成无码网站在线观看| 粗大的内捧猛烈进出在线视频| 国产成人aaa在线视频免费观看 | 亚洲精品短视频| 大胸美女洗澡扒奶衣挤奶| 中文字幕一精品亚洲无线一区| 日韩精品成人一区二区三区| 亚洲国产成人精品无码区花野真一 | 久久不见久久见免费影院www日本| 最好的最新中文字幕8| 亚洲国产精品久久久久婷婷软件| 爆乳美女脱内衣18禁裸露网站| 初女破苞国语在线观看免费| 自拍偷自拍亚洲精品播放 | 男女午夜性爽快免费视频不卡| 又大又硬又爽又深免费看| 草莓视频黄瓜视频| 国产在线观看精品一区二区三区91| 亚洲五月激情综合图片区| 国产精品福利片免费看| 999在线视频精品免费播放观看| 夫妻免费无码V看片| 一区二区精品久久| 成人午夜视频在线观看| 久久久久亚洲AV无码网站| 日本高清免费一本视频在线观看| 久热国产在线视频| 最近中文字幕网2019| 亚洲av无码码潮喷在线观看 | 毛片基地看看成人免费| 国产超级乱淫视频播放免费| 99热国产精品| 夜夜爽免费888视频| japanese日本护士xxxx18一19 | 秦老头大战秦丽娟无删节| 午夜爽爽爽男女免费观看影院| 羞羞漫画页面免费入口欢迎你| 国产一区二区三区高清视频| 色屁屁www影院免费观看视频|