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Thais who rioted last week call for new protests
By AMBIKA AHUJA,Associated Press Writer AP - 2 hours 44 minutes ago
BANGKOK - Supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who rioted in Bangkok last week called Friday for a new rally, just hours after Thailand's current leader lifted an emergency decree and said the country had returned to normal.
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The call followed a special two-day parliamentary session that sought to heal the political divide between supporters and opponents of Thaksin, whose 2006 ouster set off a series of demonstrations as the two rival groups have sought to force their preferred leaders into power.
The legislative session was dominated by partisan bickering over who was to blame for recent political violence and did little to resolve the crisis.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva lifted an emergency decree _ imposed on the capital on April 12 as protests led by Thaksin's supporters swelled _ after the session. The decree banned gatherings of more than five people and news reports that threatened public order and allowed the government to call up military troops to quell unrest. The protesters responded with a day of rioting, leaving two people dead and 123 injured.
Many opposition lawmakers had argued that maintaining it was inflaming the still-tense situation.
"This is a signal to the world that the country has returned to normal," Abhisit told reporters, adding that soldiers would remain in sensitive areas of the capital to assist police.
The protests were only the latest round in Thailand's long-running crisis.
Thaksin's party won two landslide election victories that put him in office from 2001 to 2006.
But his opponents _ the "yellow shirts" who argue that voters in his rural base are too easily bought _ began demonstrations in 2006 that precipitated a military coup. After elections put Thaksin's allies back in power, the yellow shirts took to the streets again last year in demonstrations that culminated in the closure of Bangkok's airports.
Court rulings eventually removed those governments, paving the way for Abhisit's rise and setting off the latest round of demonstrations by the pro-Thaksin "red shirts." Protesters said the rulings were biased and political.
The red shirts are demanding Abhisit's resignation and new elections.
Thai authorities are still trying to locate Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon who fled the country last year ahead of a corruption conviction.
He traveled to Liberia earlier this week to for talks about investing in the gold and diamonds sectors, officials said. Liberia's press reported that he also expressed interest in oil and mineral exploration, agriculture, telecommunications and the lottery business.
Shortly after the emergency decree was lifted, protest leader Somyod Preuksakasemsuk said the red shirts would hold a peaceful rally in Bangkok on Saturday evening. The rally was originally scheduled to take place outside of Bangkok because of the emergency decree's ban on public gatherings.
Bangkok's police chief, Lt. Gen. Worapong Chiewpreecha, said security officials will remain vigilant to prevent new violence.
"Peaceful gathering is possible within the law now. But we will not allow it to get out of hand or turn violent," Worapong said.
Saying that the "chaos has ended," the Bangkok Criminal Court freed on bail Friday three top leaders of the anti-government movement behind the recent protests. The release of Nattawut Sai-kua, Weng Tojirakan and Veera Musigapong on bail of 500,000 baht ($14,100) each was granted on condition that do not leave the country, instigate violence or interfere with ongoing investigations and court cases.
The men were arrested last week for illegal assembly and creating a public disturbance in defiance of the state of emergency.
Thaksin, who still enjoys wide support among the rural poor because of his social welfare programs while in office, addressed demonstrators from exile via video link during the run-up to this month's riots, and at one point called for a "revolution."
He changed his message after the rioting and joined political rivals in calling for reconciliation.
Thaksin's whereabouts continue to dominate headlines in Thailand and taunt the government, which holds him responsible for the recent violence and is trying to extradite him.
The government has revoked Thaksin's personal and diplomatic passports, but he now has a Nicaraguan diplomatic passport and is reported to have others.
___
Associated Press writer Todd Pitman contributed to this report.
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