Thai New Year Holiday Eases Tensions
- 14 years ago
People across Thailand are marking the start of their New Year holiday, as the festivities help ease tension across the country. And in Bangkok, some of the Red Shirt protesters are taking part in the celebration.
After a weekend of protests, violence and deaths, locals and tourists marked the Thai New Year holiday with a water festival in the Thai capital Bangkok on Tuesday.
Some of the red shirt anti-government protesters joined in the festivities.
But the recent bloodshed dampened the festive spirit for others.
[Denchai Kanuson, Protester]: (Male, Thai)
"Seeing fellow red shirts die like that has made me feel that it wouldn't be fun going back to celebrate Songkran at home. I would rather stay to fight for democracy. We have to defeat this evil government. We have to make the world understand justice, and the double standards here."
[Unidentified Protester]: (Female, Thai) (no title bar)
"I am not going back because I am going to help the red shirts fight for democracy here."
Over the weekend, clashes between security forces and protesters left 21 dead and hundreds wounded. The red shirts say troops gunned down protesters.
On Tuesday, the protesters threatened to march to the army barracks where Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (ab-hi-sit way-JAH-jeh-vah) has been based after the Election Commission unexpectedly recommended his party be dissolved.
The red shirt protesters mostly come from rural and working-class backgrounds and supporters of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra (TAK-sin SHIN-a-wat), who was ousted in a 2006 coup (pron coo).
After a weekend of protests, violence and deaths, locals and tourists marked the Thai New Year holiday with a water festival in the Thai capital Bangkok on Tuesday.
Some of the red shirt anti-government protesters joined in the festivities.
But the recent bloodshed dampened the festive spirit for others.
[Denchai Kanuson, Protester]: (Male, Thai)
"Seeing fellow red shirts die like that has made me feel that it wouldn't be fun going back to celebrate Songkran at home. I would rather stay to fight for democracy. We have to defeat this evil government. We have to make the world understand justice, and the double standards here."
[Unidentified Protester]: (Female, Thai) (no title bar)
"I am not going back because I am going to help the red shirts fight for democracy here."
Over the weekend, clashes between security forces and protesters left 21 dead and hundreds wounded. The red shirts say troops gunned down protesters.
On Tuesday, the protesters threatened to march to the army barracks where Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (ab-hi-sit way-JAH-jeh-vah) has been based after the Election Commission unexpectedly recommended his party be dissolved.
The red shirt protesters mostly come from rural and working-class backgrounds and supporters of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra (TAK-sin SHIN-a-wat), who was ousted in a 2006 coup (pron coo).