Oprettet af yindee d. 15-03-2010 03:53

#27

Army base targeted


March to Bang Khen starts at 9am, but protests likely at many sites

Red shirt protesters plan to storm the 11th Infantry Regiment - the government's "war room" and safe house - if Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva does not dissolve Parliament by today, to try to achieve its goal of toppling the "aristocrat-backed" government.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected the reds' demand, saying yesterday his government had the right to stay in office until the end of the current electoral term - late next year.

"Dissolving Parliament or the resignation of a government is a normal practice in the democratic system. I have no problem with that, but how can we dissolve the Parliament to have a snap election when our politics is still in deep divide and conflict?" he said.

The next election, if there was one, would have to go through violence because many people were dissatisfied with the electoral rules, he said.

The red shirts claim Abhisit has no legitimacy to stay in power as his Democrat Party did not win the previous election. They have mobilised a large mob in an effort to bring his administration down.

Prime Minister Abhisit, Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda and Army chief General Anupong Paochinda are using the the 11th Infantry Regiment compound as a "safe house" during the protest.

The huge red-shirt group will start marching from Rajdamnoen Avenue - the main protest site - at 9am via Victory Monument and walk along Phaholyothin Road to the infantry regiment in Bang Khen district.

Red shirt leader Nattawut Saikua said the protesters would not break into the army compound or surround it for a long time but would protest at many spots - follow Prime Minister Abhisit everywhere he goes.

Another leader, Jatuporn Promphan, said he learned that the military boosted its force at the infantry regiment to 7,000 troops, and prepared anti-riot equipment such as water cannons and tear gas for possible use against the protesters.

A military source confirmed that the Army has brought an additional 20 companies of troops to the infantry regiment to protect government leaders and military commanders.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsubhan was seen yesterday with Army chief Anupong and commanders inspecting troops' readiness at the compound.

"We are here to protect the law and democracy. We don't see the protestors as the enemy but we have to prevent them from breaking the law," Suthep told the troops.

"This is the first ever, soldiers, that you have to perform your duty without weapons. I know it is every difficult, but we have to do it."

Lt General Daophong Ratanasuwan, deputy Army chief of staff, said the military would try its best not to use violence against the protesters. He told soldiers to exercise utmost restraint and not to use force even if protesters provoke them.

Red shirt protesters continued to arrive from the provinces to the capital yesterday to join the rally. Their leaders claim that 300,000 people have massed but the authorities gave a more conservative figure - 52,000.

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is de facto leader of the red-shirt group, phoned in to the rally's main stage at Rajdamnoen Avenue last night. He asked supporters who could not get to Bangkok to set up separate rallies in their provinces to help pressure the government.

The red shirts had been moulded into a solidarity movement, he said in a 45 minute speech.

Troops were based at many locations around Rajdamnoen Ave near the protest site including Thammasat University's Tha Prachan campus where a company of soldiers was, a university official said.

Prime Minister Abhisit said his government respected the red shirts' right of assembly in accordance with the Constitution, as long as they protest peacefully.

The Constitution Court set guidelines in 2008 that gave protesters constitutional protection as long as they demonstrate peacefully and under a legal framework, he said.