Will not stop before sweeping dirt out of Thailand: Protesters
5 Dec 2013 4:53 AM IST
The unexpected reversal of strategy by the government indicated it no longer wants to confront the protesters and is willing to compromise to ease tensions ahead of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 86th birthday on Thursday.
As anti-government protesters celebrated on the Government House lawn, a leader announced through a loudspeaker that on Wednesday would be devoted to cleaning up the debris at scattered protest sites to prepare for the king’s birthday.
Government officials did not immediately comment on the developments, and it was not clear if the protest movement had ended or if this was merely a lull in the violence that might pick up again after the king’s birthday.
‘We wanted to come into Government House because it’s a symbolic victory. But this is a victory that is not complete,’ said Direk Worachaisawad, a 45-year-old high school computer science teacher who was on the compound’s front lawn.
‘It’s not over yet. We have to keep fighting,’ he said. ‘We won’t stop until all the dirt has been swept out of Thailand.’ The protesters accuse Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of being a proxy for her older brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They have demanded that her government hand over power to an unelected council that would appoint a new Prime Minister. Mr. Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 military coup but remains central to Thailand’s political crisis, and is a focal point of the protesters’ hatred. He is despised by many of the mostly middle-class Bangkok supporters of the opposition Democrat Party for alleged widespread corruption and abuse of political power for his family’s benefit.
The street battles, which followed a month of peaceful demonstrations, have hurt Thailand’s image and raised concerns that prolonged unrest could damage the tourism industry ahead of the peak holiday season.
Three people have died and more than 230 were injured after clashes erupted on Saturday between protesters and police. After resisting the protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets since Saturday, police lounged on sidewalks on Tuesday as protesters removed the barriers on a road leading to the Prime Minister’s office and walked through.
Indians in Thailand safe: Envoy
BANGKOK: All Indians nationals in Thailand, rocked by massive anti-government protests that have claimed four lives, are safe and sound, Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa said on Tuesday. ‘All the Indians in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand are safe. We have not received reports of any untoward incident so far. We advise people to continue to watch the situation continuously,’ Wadhwa said. The envoy said all hotels and major tourist spots are open, but Indians should avoid areas such as Metropolitan Police Headquarters and Government House, where the protests are concentrated.
Indians facing any difficulty can contact the embassy in Bangkok via phone or e-mail, Wadhwa said. Indians should also regularly check the embassy’s website for latest developments. The protests, which began on 24 November, were largely peaceful until Saturday, when they turned violent. The protesters, led by former deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban, are demanding that PM Yingluck Shinawatra should quit.
As anti-government protesters celebrated on the Government House lawn, a leader announced through a loudspeaker that on Wednesday would be devoted to cleaning up the debris at scattered protest sites to prepare for the king’s birthday.
Government officials did not immediately comment on the developments, and it was not clear if the protest movement had ended or if this was merely a lull in the violence that might pick up again after the king’s birthday.
‘We wanted to come into Government House because it’s a symbolic victory. But this is a victory that is not complete,’ said Direk Worachaisawad, a 45-year-old high school computer science teacher who was on the compound’s front lawn.
‘It’s not over yet. We have to keep fighting,’ he said. ‘We won’t stop until all the dirt has been swept out of Thailand.’ The protesters accuse Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of being a proxy for her older brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They have demanded that her government hand over power to an unelected council that would appoint a new Prime Minister. Mr. Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 military coup but remains central to Thailand’s political crisis, and is a focal point of the protesters’ hatred. He is despised by many of the mostly middle-class Bangkok supporters of the opposition Democrat Party for alleged widespread corruption and abuse of political power for his family’s benefit.
The street battles, which followed a month of peaceful demonstrations, have hurt Thailand’s image and raised concerns that prolonged unrest could damage the tourism industry ahead of the peak holiday season.
Three people have died and more than 230 were injured after clashes erupted on Saturday between protesters and police. After resisting the protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets since Saturday, police lounged on sidewalks on Tuesday as protesters removed the barriers on a road leading to the Prime Minister’s office and walked through.
Indians in Thailand safe: Envoy
BANGKOK: All Indians nationals in Thailand, rocked by massive anti-government protests that have claimed four lives, are safe and sound, Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa said on Tuesday. ‘All the Indians in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand are safe. We have not received reports of any untoward incident so far. We advise people to continue to watch the situation continuously,’ Wadhwa said. The envoy said all hotels and major tourist spots are open, but Indians should avoid areas such as Metropolitan Police Headquarters and Government House, where the protests are concentrated.
Indians facing any difficulty can contact the embassy in Bangkok via phone or e-mail, Wadhwa said. Indians should also regularly check the embassy’s website for latest developments. The protests, which began on 24 November, were largely peaceful until Saturday, when they turned violent. The protesters, led by former deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban, are demanding that PM Yingluck Shinawatra should quit.
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