Tens of thousands to demand Thai PM's resignation

THAILAND: Thailand braced for the second mass rally in two days to hit Bangkok, where tens of thousands are expected Sunday to demand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's resignation, amid fears the protest could turn violent.

The rally is set to start at Sanam Luang field near the royal palace, the same venue where Thaksin drew some 150,000 people late Friday as he kicked off his campaign for snap elections on April 2.

Amid fears of violence at the protest, Thaksin on Saturday called for national unity and urged protesters to remain peaceful.

"I will not have a violent confrontation with anybody. I will work to uphold the rule of law, and I have clearly asked my supporters to remember the importance of national unity and not to get involved in quarrels," he told reporters.

Thaksin, who faces allegations of corruption and abuse of power, said Friday he would refuse to take office if he takes less than half the vote, and vowed constitutional changes and new elections in about one year if he wins.

But People's Alliance for Democracy, which is made up of a variety of anti-Thaksin groups, rejected his latest offer of political reforms Saturday and vowed to stage demonstrations until the premier steps down.

"Our stance is that the constitutional changes and political reforms offered by Thaksin were only an empty promise so that Thaksin could try to stay in power," said Suriyasai Katasila, spokesman for People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Thaksin's leading critic, Sondhi Limthongkul, also accused the premier of using taxpayer money to pay people to attend the Friday night rally.

"Thaksin had spent 300 million baht (7.7 million dollars) of taxpayer money to organise Friday's rally, which has created an unprecedented divide in Thai society," Sondhi, once Thaksin's strong supporter, said without explaining how he reached that figure.

Thaksin again called on the opposition parties at the Friday rally to join the April 2 elections and said he would even accept a postponement of the election if they needed more time to find candidates.

BANGKOK, Sunday, AFP