RED-SHIRTED PROTESTERS took to the streets of Bangkok yesterday for their first demonstration since May’s military crackdown, as they marked four years since a military coup toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Many of the “Red Shirts” support the exiled prime minister, who fled Thailand after being convicted on corruption charges, although the movement also includes other interest groups opposed to the army-backed government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Hundreds of police watched but hung back as some 4,000 protesters gathered at the Rajprasong intersection, a shopping area that was transformed into a war zone in May as troops moved in firing live ammunition to end weeks of occupation by Red Shirts, who wanted Prime Minister Abhisit to call elections.
Demonstrators shouted “People died here” and “Abhisit, get out” before they lit candles and released balloons to honour those who died in the protests.
Thousands more took to the streets to demonstrate yesterday at a stadium in northern Chiang Mai, a Red Shirt stronghold and Mr Thaksin’s hometown.
The Red Shirts are angry at what they see as political chicanery that brought Mr Abhisit to power without having to call an election.
Mr Abhisit offered elections originally in November but has since said that an election is not likely this year and the emergency powers decree is necessary to ensure peace and stability.
Several pro-Thaksin governments followed Mr Thaksin’s escape into exile backed by his family and friends in parliament.
In 2008, Mr Thaksin’s yellow-shirted opponents seized the prime minister’s offices for three months and occupied Bangkok’s two airports for a week to try to force a pro-Thaksin government out of office.
The violence killed 91 people and injured hundreds, most of them demonstrators.
Hardcore Red Shirts set fire to dozens of buildings around the city, including the city’s biggest shopping mall.
Bangkok has been under a state of emergency ever since then, and troops have been deployed in various parts of the city since then as fears rose of possible violence to mark the military coup which ended the rule of Thaksin Shinawatra.
