Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Thai protesters at Parliament for 'final showdown'
By AMBIKA AHUJA,Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, November 24
BANGKOK, Thailand - Thousands of anti-government protesters surrounded Thailand's Parliament on Monday as riot police barricaded the building to prevent violence at a rally demonstrators have billed their final bid to oust the administration.
Protesters, who call themselves the People's Alliance for Democracy, blocked the gates to Parliament and tried to prevent lawmakers from entering and cut electrical wires outside the building to create a blackout ahead of the session scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (0230 GMT). Many demonstrators carried masks and swimming goggles to protect against tear gas, which police have said they would use as a last resort to maintain order.
The demonstrators initially called the protest to block Parliament from debating a bill to rewrite the constitution. The contentious issue was dropped at the last minute and lawmakers will instead debate legislation relating to an upcoming regional summit.
Protesters have occupied the grounds of the prime minister's office for three months in their effort to topple the government, which they allege is the puppet of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
They accuse Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup, of corruption and abuse of power, and claim that the proposed constitutional amendment would help him stage a comeback. Thaksin is in exile, a fugitive from a two-year jail term imposed after he was convicted last month of violating a conflict of interest law.
Both sides braced for a confrontation, with protesters flanked by their own guards armed with poles, clubs and metal rods.
"I'm very scared. But it is time that we win this," said a protester, Wimon Sricarak. "We have been attacked, our friends have died, and all because they want to protect Thaksin."
Two small explosions went off before dawn Monday near the offices of a key protest leader, said police Sgt. Theerapong Rakjit. Nobody was injured and no one claimed responsibility for the blasts.
The last time the group marched on Parliament, police efforts to disperse them resulted in running street battles. Two people were killed in the Oct. 7 violence and hundreds injured.
The Education Ministry ordered four public schools in the area closed.
Handlers at the Dusit Zoo, across the road from Parliament, moved high-strung animals such as kangaroos, wallabies and elephants to the far side of the zoo where they would be more protected from any mayhem.
Police said 2,400 policemen would be stationed outside Parliament, which is about half a mile (one kilometer) from the prime minister's compound.
"Police and soldiers will not be armed with lethal weapons, only shields and batons," government spokesman Nattawut Sai-gua told The Associated Press.
The protest alliance also says it is committed to nonviolence, though forays outside its stronghold are usually led by tough young men, who carry homemade weapons such as iron rods _ and in some cases handguns _ and who have won a reputation for aggressive behavior.
The alliance accused police of being behind an attack last week in which grenades killed two protesters during demonstrations at and near the occupied Government House. Authorities have denied the charge.
Protest leaders were calling for Sunday's rally to be their biggest ever, but the number that turned out appeared to be at most just one-quarter to one-third of the 100,000 supporters protest spokesman Parnthep Wongpuapan said had been expected.
"It will be D-Day. This will be our final push to bring down the government," 64-year-old protester Chokchuang Chutinaton said Sunday.
Key protest leader Chamlong Srimuang said over the weekend that if the latest push fails to oust the government, the alliance would stop its protests.
The alliance's supporters are largely middle-class citizens, who say Thailand's electoral system is susceptible to vote-buying and argues the rural majority _ the Thaksin camp's power base _ is not sophisticated enough to cast ballots responsibly.
They propose replacing an elected Parliament with one that is mostly appointed, a move critics charge is meant to keep power in the hands of the educated, urban elite.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
Ex-ally fingers Philippine leader in corruption probeAFP - 8 minutes ago
Top UN delegation visiting AfghanistanAP - 15 minutes ago
Taxis stage strike in central Chinese cityAP - 55 minutes ago
American youth trail in Internet use -- surveyReuters - 1 hour 4 minutes ago
Rebels claim killing 43 Sri Lankan soldiersAP - 1 hour 11 minutes ago
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
Stricken German public bank KfW expects further losses
Michael Jackson settles court case: spokeswoman
Over 200 narwhal trapped in Canadian ice
Slump in Europe spreads wider
Japan scientists eye made-to-order bones
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular