Thai police beef up security
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-13 14:09

Police heightened security in the Thai capital Monday, putting 20,000 officers on standby ahead of a mass rally planned by protesters seeking the resignation of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Protesters shout slogans against Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during protest in Bangkok. The weekly protests to force Thaksin from office divides Bangkok into two cities -- one of late-night political rallies and one where business continues as usual. [AFP]

 

Organizers of the anti-Thaksin rally hoped as many as 100,000 people would camp through the night at a Bangkok park ahead of an early Tuesday march to Thaksin's office at Government House, a few kilometers away.

Farmers, teachers and thousands of state employees opposed to Thaksin's rule were traveling to the capital to take part in the rally, organizers said.

Metropolitan Police spokesman Col. Pinit Maneerat said police had received reports that Thaksin supporters were planning their own rally in Bangkok, stirring concerns of a standoff between the opposing camps.

"Police are well prepared to keep peace and order," Pinit said. "We will do our best to prevent any confrontations."

Tuesday's march to Government House was planned to coincide with Thaksin's weekly Cabinet meeting, though reports have said the prime minister might cancel the meeting or change its location.

Tens of thousands of protesters have been demanding Thaksin's resignation in regular weekend rallies, accusing the tycoon-turned-politician of corruption, mishandling a Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand, stifling the media, and allowing cronies to reap gains from state policies.

Protesters have come mainly from Bangkok's urban middle class, but Tuesday's rally was expected to draw a broader mix of Thai society.

Labor unions representing state-owned utilities and rail workers have called on employees to join the rally to protest Thaksin's privatization plans.

Somsak Kosaisook, secretary general of the Federation of State Enterprise Labor Unions, said he expected some 30,000 rail workers and employees of electricity and water utilities to walk off the job in protest. The union has said that essential staff will remain at work to prevent services from being disrupted.

Thaksin, who has repeatedly said he will not bow to the protesters, dissolved Parliament last month and called for early elections on April 2, in hopes of renewing his mandate and defusing the street protests. He has offered to resign if his party fails to secure more than half the votes in the elections.

Opposition parties have vowed to boycott the polls.

Thaksin was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term last year when his party won 377 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives. His party is favored in rural constituencies, which have benefited from his populist policies.

The anti-Thaksin campaign swelled last month after the prime minister's family sold its controlling stake in telecom giant Shin Corp. (SHIN.TH) to a Singapore state-owned investment company for THB73.3 billion ($1.9 billion).

Critics allege the sale involved insider trading and tax dodges and complain that a key national asset is now in the hands of a foreign government. The protesters sought Singapore's help in annulling the deal.

In an unexpected development, all Thai television stations on Sunday night broadcast old footage of King Bhumibol Adulyadej counseling nonviolence during a political crisis nearly 14 years ago, suggesting his advice was useful today because of new divisions threatening the country.

The May 20, 1992, footage showed the nation's revered king telling then-Prime Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon and Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of a pro-democracy movement, to mend their differences.

The audience was called by the king after pro-democracy demonstrations turned violent. The army suppressed the protests and dozens of civilians were killed.

Most Thai TV stations are government-owned. An announcer introduced Sunday night's clip by saying the footage should serve as a reminder and warning to all parties in the current crisis to avoid letting their confrontation spin out of control.

Chamlong is also a leader of the anti-Thaksin movement.