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"Red shirts" activists march in Thai capital
Thai anti-government ''red shirt'' protesters gather at Bangkok's shopping district, decorated in red colours January 9, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Chaiwat Subprasom
By Chaiwat Subprasom
BANGKOK | Sun Jan 9, 2011 8:56am EST
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of "red shirt" demonstrators marched in Thailand's capital on Sunday to demand the release of the movement's leaders in their first rally since the lifting of an eight-month state of emergency last month.
The protest by about 30,000 people aimed to pressure the government to end what the red shirts say are unlawful detentions and suppression of dissent in the wake of deadly clashes between troops and demonstrators last year.
The latest request for bail for the leaders, charged with terrorism, was denied on Tuesday and the march from two symbolic locations where 91 people were killed and more than 1,800 wounded showed the movement's strength had yet to wane.
The mostly rural and urban working-class protesters gathered at Democracy Monument in Bangkok's old quarter before moving on foot and on motorcycles toward a downtown shopping district which they had occupied for seven weeks last April and May.
Troops had forcibly dispersed the demonstrators on May 19, prompting a spree of arson attacks and rioting that marked the country's worst violence in decades. More than 1,000 police were deployed to maintain security at Sunday's rally.
The protesters planned to light candles and release thousands of balloons in memory of those killed during the clashes. The "red shirts" blame the government and the army for the deaths, which they say have not been properly investigated.
The rally took place at the Ratchaprasong intersection outside Southeast Asia's second-biggest shopping mall, Central World, owned by Central Pattana. It was one of several malls and luxury hotels shuttered for weeks and was one of more than 30 commercial buildings set ablaze during last year's riot.
Analysts say it is likely the red shirts will try to avoid more clashes to ensure an election Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has promised this year can take place.
An immediate election was their key demand during last year's rallies, but the movement's leaders rejected a government offer of a November 2010 poll, saying it was not soon enough.
They are hopeful the opposition Puea Thai party will win most votes in the election and return a government favorable to the ousted, twice-elected former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the group's exiled figurehead.
Abhisit has repeatedly said polls would only be held if the country was at peace and has rejected accusations that his reconciliation efforts are insincere and he and his backers were seeking to cling on to power.
Abhisit has hinted at May or June as possible period to call elections but others within his ruling Democrat party have held back on their decision to set a date for the polls.
The election is seen as a crucial step toward ending five years of political stalemate, but experts say polls tainted by allegations of fraud or vote-buying and subsequent judicial rulings could lead to prolonged instability in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy.
(Additional reporting by Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat; Writing by Martin Petty and Ambika Ahuja; Editing by Jon Hemming)
