500,000 Red Shirt protesters expected in Bangkok
The pro-government in Thailand, the so-called Red Shirts who support the caretaker government under Yingluck Shinawatra, will hold a rally on Saturday, April 5, at a peripheral district of Bangkok, but it is not ruled out that they might proceed further into the city. Around 500,000 people are expected, at least by numbers given by Jatuporn Promphan, the chairman of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the group’s official movement.
Jatuporn added that the half-a-million people protest would only be a “rehearsal” for an even bigger rally with “double the number of people” joining him, but he did not give a date for the “super-rally”.
However, observers doubt that that many people will show up on Saturday. But there will be a likelihood of violence as the anti-government fraction of protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban will also hold a rally in inner Bangkok.
In a statement that shows the sometimes ludicrousness of Thai politics, Suthep even suggested a “bet”, promising that if the UDD could mobilise more protesters than his group could, he would call off all anti-government movements.
It remains unclear who will manage the payments for hiring people to organise the Red Shirt rally and covering their traveling costs, sources from the UDD said The potential demonstrators now lack an incentive to go to the new UDD gathering because the government still owes the villagers their rice-pledging money, said the source.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court is giving caretaker prime minister a grilling over controversial political decisions and mishaps during her time as active prime minister. The future of her tenure, and of her cabinet, hangs on the court’s decision expected in about two weeks.
Up to 50 countries are still keeping their travel warnings or travel alerts on Thailand. In the wake of the latest attacks and protest-related deaths in Thailand, on April 1, the UAE’s foreign minister once again advised the country’s citizens not to travel to Thailand due to ongoing political unrest and urged Emirati citizens to avoid gathering and demonstrations.
The pro-government in Thailand, the so-called Red Shirts who support the caretaker government under Yingluck Shinawatra, will hold a rally on Saturday, April 5, at a peripheral district of Bangkok, but it is not ruled out that they might proceed further into the city. Around 500,000 people are expected, at least by numbers given by Jatuporn Promphan, the chairman of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the group's official movement. Jatuporn added that the half-a-million people protest would only be a "rehearsal" for an even bigger rally with "double the number of people" joining him, but he did...
The pro-government in Thailand, the so-called Red Shirts who support the caretaker government under Yingluck Shinawatra, will hold a rally on Saturday, April 5, at a peripheral district of Bangkok, but it is not ruled out that they might proceed further into the city. Around 500,000 people are expected, at least by numbers given by Jatuporn Promphan, the chairman of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the group’s official movement.
Jatuporn added that the half-a-million people protest would only be a “rehearsal” for an even bigger rally with “double the number of people” joining him, but he did not give a date for the “super-rally”.
However, observers doubt that that many people will show up on Saturday. But there will be a likelihood of violence as the anti-government fraction of protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban will also hold a rally in inner Bangkok.
In a statement that shows the sometimes ludicrousness of Thai politics, Suthep even suggested a “bet”, promising that if the UDD could mobilise more protesters than his group could, he would call off all anti-government movements.
It remains unclear who will manage the payments for hiring people to organise the Red Shirt rally and covering their traveling costs, sources from the UDD said The potential demonstrators now lack an incentive to go to the new UDD gathering because the government still owes the villagers their rice-pledging money, said the source.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court is giving caretaker prime minister a grilling over controversial political decisions and mishaps during her time as active prime minister. The future of her tenure, and of her cabinet, hangs on the court’s decision expected in about two weeks.
Up to 50 countries are still keeping their travel warnings or travel alerts on Thailand. In the wake of the latest attacks and protest-related deaths in Thailand, on April 1, the UAE’s foreign minister once again advised the country’s citizens not to travel to Thailand due to ongoing political unrest and urged Emirati citizens to avoid gathering and demonstrations.
