Protesters flood Bangkok streets

26/08/2008| IslamWeb

Thousands of protesters have descended onto the streets of Bangkok to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet.

They occupied the offices of the state broadcaster NBT and surrounded the main government offices.

At one point they forced their way into Samak's offices - prompting him to take shelter in an army base.

The protesters say Samak is merely a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now in self-imposed exile.

Samak has appeared on television promising decisive action, saying: "We will do everything to bring the situation back to normal."

But he added that it was not yet time to call on the military to restore order.

'Long holiday for government'

Organizers of the protest - a loose grouping called the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - have been able to galvanize thousands of supporters to their cause.

Tuesday's rally was just one of many street demonstrations they have held so far this year.

"We are now controlling most of the key government offices to prevent them from coming to work," said Sondhi Limthongkul, a leading figure in PAD, according to AP news agency.

"Today, we declare a long, long holiday for the government."

Protesters stormed the offices of the state broadcaster NBT, forcing it off the air. Police arrested several dozen protesters, but then a second wave broke through police lines to reach the station.

Live television also showed about 100 protesters sitting on the lawn of the prime minister's official compound, Reuters news agency said.

Central role

This is a mass protest movement with a difference, according to the BBC correspondent in Bangkok, Jonathan Head.

Despite the name, the People's Alliance for Democracy is actually campaigning for an end to democracy, arguing that in Thailand Western-style elections have only led to corrupt and ineffective governments.

Instead, it wants a largely appointed parliament and a legalized role for the military as a kind of referee in Thai politics, our correspondent adds.

The PAD has already played a central role in Thai politics, beginning three years ago as a movement to bring down Thaksin Shinawatra, then the most powerful elected leader Thailand had ever known.

Its protests set the stage for the coup that ousted him in 2006, and probably helped ensure the legal cases against him went ahead this year, resulting in Thaksin and his wife going back into exile.

Samak is still defiant, insisting he has a democratic mandate from last December's election - but he seems unable to shake off this determined and apparently well-funded opposition movement, our correspondent adds.       

PHOTO CAPTION

Thousands of protesters near Government House in Bangkok  on Tuesday.

BBC