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Thailand red shirts rally, threaten to go to Bangkok

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Red shirts: Supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) take part in mass demonstrations in Bangkok in March 2010. (AFP Getty images)

Thailand red shirts rally, threaten to go to Bangkok: Thailand’s red shirt United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) began its mass rally to counter the ongoing anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protests on Saturday, aimed at mobilising its supporters in the North and Northeast of the country, according to reports.

UDD chairwoman Tida Tawornseth said, “This campaign is our big rehearsal before we will meet those in Bangkok who do not love democracy”.

“It is possible that we will move to Bangkok, but when we do this depends on the situation,” she said.

Ms Tida added that the red shirts are angered by the PDRC’s movement to oust the Pheu Thai-led government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

She said the red shirt rally, which was launched in Udon Thani, aimed to mobilise at least 50,000 supporters to kick off the campaign against the PDRC. The UDD expected over 20,000 more people to join the rally on Saturday, as it moves on to Kalasin, Maha Sarakham and Khon Kaen, said a Bangkok Post report.

A northern campaign will be launched in Chiang Mai next week, said the UDD chairwoman.

Ms Tida accepted that some red shirt groups were discussing separating Thailand because of the deeply entrenched divisions in the nation.

However, UDD leaders did not agree with this idea, she insisted.

“Why would we want to separate? We are the majority of this country,” she said.

Worachai Hema, a UDD co-leader and former Pheu Thai MP, said today’s rally would be the largest-ever gathering of red shirts, with a 20 kilometre-long “caravan” moving across the provinces to mobilise people to join the campaign.

He said it shows red shirts are ready to counter PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who was trying to topple the democratically elected government.

Mr Worachai said the red shirts would definitely move into Bangkok if it appeared the caretaker government was about to be overthrown by undemocratic means.

Meanwhile, on Saturday red shirt leader Suporn Atthawong launched a campaign to recruit “warriors” to defend democracy and fight for righteousness and justice, expecting to eventually draw at least 600,000 volunteers from across the country.

Ruling Thai party considers dropping PM

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Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at a meeting at the Royal Thai Air Force headquarters in Bangkok on January 16, 2014. (AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)

Ruling Thai party considers dropping PM: Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party may be forced to reconsider its strategy and drop caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as its candidate for the prime minister’s post in a fresh election, says a party source.

Ms Yingluck is facing battles on several fronts, and some of them are not up for negotiation, the source said.

The caretaker prime minister faces impeachment for alleged dereliction of duty under the government’s rice-pledging scheme, and thousands of farmers are either rallying or threatening to rally in Bangkok to demand the government make the long-overdue payments due them for their crops under the programme.

The source said that while the party will fight to make sure a new government is formed out of the election, it doubts if Ms Yingluck stands a chance of contesting the polls, said a Bangkok Post report.

National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) has summoned Ms Yingluck to answer charges this Thursday, and is expected to conclude its inquiry in two months. An indictment would likely eliminate her chances of seeking office.

While the Pheu Thai Party’s strategy over the past four months of anti-government protests has been to resist the pressure to step down, it now remains to be seen how long she can continue to hang on.

The pressure is now mounting against the premier as the protesters take aim at businesses linked to the Shinawatra family.

There is also the problem that she may soon be facing multiple lawsuits, from both anti-government protesters and farmers, noted the source.

There is the possibility that the party might decide to opt for someone not from the Shinawatra family, according to the source.

However, Pheu Thais strategist Noppadon Pattama, who is a close aide of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, downplayed speculation that the party may drop Ms Yingluck.

He said she has two months to fight the charges, and as long as the NACC does not hand down a ruling, Ms Yingluck cannot be taken out of the picture.