ID :
31963
Mon, 11/24/2008 - 10:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/31963
The shortlink copeid
THAI PROTESTERS BLOCK PARLIAMENT
By D. Arul Rajoo
BANGKOK, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- Tension is running high in the vicinity of the
Parliament building in the capital as thousands of anti-government protesters
had gathered to block lawmakers from holding a joint session and try to topple
the embattled Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's Government.
A day after over 40,000 people had gathered at the Government House which
was seized by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Aug 26, protesters
began a one-kilometre march to the Parliament area.
Led by media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul, who organised mass demonstrations
in the capital in 2006 that paved the way for the military ouster of Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, protesters are now facing more than 1,000 policemen
who have been stationed around the Parliament building while soldiers are on
stand-by.
Early morning Monday, Sondhi's ASTV satellite television station was
attacked when four grenades exploded near its compound but no injuries were
reported.
Similar stand-off between police and PAD on Oct 7 led to the death of two
protesters while over 500 were injured, including dozens of policemen.
Among the agenda in the planned joint session of the House of
Representatives and Senate Monday are the controversial constitution amendment
and a legislation regarding the Asean trade regulations. The prolonged
anti-government protest led to the Government moving the Asean Summit next month
to Chiang Mai.
PAD leaders had said this would be their final battle to confront the
government since beginning their street rallies on May 25 against the government
made up of Thaksin's allies.
On Aug 26, they seized the Government House which is the centre of the
country's administration and houses the Prime Minister's Office. Somchai, the
brother-in-law of Thaksin, is currently in Peru attending the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation.
While the parliament remains the main target of the protesters, there are
strong possibilities of PAD mobilising its supporters to siege several other key
locations in the capital, including Somchai's makeshift office at the Don Muang
Airport and financial institutions.
On Sunday, the pro-government United Front of Democracy (UPP) held their
own gathering in the outskirt of the capital but no attempts were made to
confront PAD.
In the past few weeks, there had been several bomb attacks against PAD
occupation of the Government House, including the latest on Saturday that saw
one protesters killed and 29 others injured.
-- BERNAMA
BANGKOK, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- Tension is running high in the vicinity of the
Parliament building in the capital as thousands of anti-government protesters
had gathered to block lawmakers from holding a joint session and try to topple
the embattled Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's Government.
A day after over 40,000 people had gathered at the Government House which
was seized by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Aug 26, protesters
began a one-kilometre march to the Parliament area.
Led by media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul, who organised mass demonstrations
in the capital in 2006 that paved the way for the military ouster of Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, protesters are now facing more than 1,000 policemen
who have been stationed around the Parliament building while soldiers are on
stand-by.
Early morning Monday, Sondhi's ASTV satellite television station was
attacked when four grenades exploded near its compound but no injuries were
reported.
Similar stand-off between police and PAD on Oct 7 led to the death of two
protesters while over 500 were injured, including dozens of policemen.
Among the agenda in the planned joint session of the House of
Representatives and Senate Monday are the controversial constitution amendment
and a legislation regarding the Asean trade regulations. The prolonged
anti-government protest led to the Government moving the Asean Summit next month
to Chiang Mai.
PAD leaders had said this would be their final battle to confront the
government since beginning their street rallies on May 25 against the government
made up of Thaksin's allies.
On Aug 26, they seized the Government House which is the centre of the
country's administration and houses the Prime Minister's Office. Somchai, the
brother-in-law of Thaksin, is currently in Peru attending the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation.
While the parliament remains the main target of the protesters, there are
strong possibilities of PAD mobilising its supporters to siege several other key
locations in the capital, including Somchai's makeshift office at the Don Muang
Airport and financial institutions.
On Sunday, the pro-government United Front of Democracy (UPP) held their
own gathering in the outskirt of the capital but no attempts were made to
confront PAD.
In the past few weeks, there had been several bomb attacks against PAD
occupation of the Government House, including the latest on Saturday that saw
one protesters killed and 29 others injured.
-- BERNAMA
