Bangkok: Anti-government Protests Continue on City Streets

  • 14 years ago
Thousands of anti-government protesters remain on the streets of Bangkok today. They ignored a midnight deadline to end two months of street rallies that have sparked Thailand's deadliest political violence in 18 years.

Authorities threw out plans to cut power and water to the area following an outcry from residents.

The protesters, known as the red-shirts, say they’ll stand their ground until Prime Ministr Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolves parliament and calls snap elections.

[Siriporn Sornprajak, Protestor]: Thai female
"Abhisit has not been sincere from the beginning. We urged them to dissolve the house but he's never mentioned the date, but mentioned the election date instead. The Election Commission has to decide on the election date, not him. He (Abhisit) can mention the date for house dissolution but why has he never said that. He's not being sincere with us."

The red-shirted protesters, mostly supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, say they will only disperse if the country’s deputy prime minister faces criminal charges over a deadly clash between troops and protesters last month.

Both sides appear to be running out of options, raising the risk of a violent confrontation.

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