By The Nation
Published on October 18, 2010
Thousands of red shirts gathered yesterday in Ayutthaya and Bangkok to protest the government crackdown in April and May.
Some from the North joined those led by Sombat Bun-ngamanong in Bangkok on a march to Ayutthaya, which is no longer under a state of emergency. They started at the Big C Supercentre in Lat Phrao, headed towards Bang Kapi, turned on Ramkhamhaeng Road and reached Din Daeng, where they switched on headlights and honked horns in memory of their fallen comrades in the area.
The procession passed Government House, Democracy Monument and Royal Thai Army Headquarters before linking up with a red-shirt group led by Pheu Thai Party MP Surachai Chaikosol at Predithamrong Bridge in Ayutthaya.
They tied red flags to the bridge and moved to the provincial sports stadium where speeches and other activities would run into the night. Some Student Federation of Thailand leaders accompanied the marchers to the stadium. They performed a parody of the April attacks, accusing the military of massacre and detaining red-shirt leaders such as Nattawut Saikua.
The parade attracted keen public attention as the marchers were in high spirits, dancing to inspirational songs from both sides of the road as they advanced towards the stadium.
The participants were asked to write a message on a mock tank driven by a man in a soldier's uniform holding a monitor lizard to suggest that the military is defending evil.
A display of 3,000 fireworks would bring the rally to an end at 10pm.
Some 2,400 police were deployed after reports claimed that the yellow shirts might take to the streets to confront the red shirts.
However sources from the red shirts said they definitely would not stage a rally.
Meanwhile a restaurant owner was arrested for leaving a bag of human faeces and used sanitary napkins near the Si Sao residence of Privy Council chief Prem Tinsulanonda earlier in the weekend.
Narin Thepamongkol, 54, was charged with causing public fear and littering.
The red-shirt supporter confessed to five counts and was released after paying a fine of Bt5,000.
No comments:
Post a Comment