Protestors take a break, prepare to return
By ThaiDay
The first stage of a marathon rally aimed at removing Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra drew to a close this morning, with organizers calling for protestors to return this afternoon and continue their push to topple the premier.
The protest came to an end around 9am this morning, with weary diehard demonstrators told to rest and recuperate in time for phase two of the mass rally, which will resume at 4pm.
Though last night Sanam Luang hosted more than 100,000 demonstrators, the grounds this morning were nearly empty, with smatterings of yellow-scarved demonstrators sleeping under the tents that surround the protest site.
Discarded posters and placards slamming Thaksin were scattered around the edges of the site, while messages of the crowd’s discontent at the premier’s “dictatorship” were etched on makeshift boards.
Police, who had little to do last night, sat around in small groups ahead of today’s rally. It was business as usual with busloads of students arriving for morning lectures at Thammasat University.
The only sign of activity was the steadfast Dharma Army of the Santi Asoke sect, who gathered in large numbers to listen to a sermon by the sect’s senior monk, Phra Bhodhirak.
The devout Buddhist sect vowed to continue its vigil until Thaksin steps down.
By ThaiDay
The first stage of a marathon rally aimed at removing Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra drew to a close this morning, with organizers calling for protestors to return this afternoon and continue their push to topple the premier.
The protest came to an end around 9am this morning, with weary diehard demonstrators told to rest and recuperate in time for phase two of the mass rally, which will resume at 4pm.
Though last night Sanam Luang hosted more than 100,000 demonstrators, the grounds this morning were nearly empty, with smatterings of yellow-scarved demonstrators sleeping under the tents that surround the protest site.
Discarded posters and placards slamming Thaksin were scattered around the edges of the site, while messages of the crowd’s discontent at the premier’s “dictatorship” were etched on makeshift boards.
Police, who had little to do last night, sat around in small groups ahead of today’s rally. It was business as usual with busloads of students arriving for morning lectures at Thammasat University.
The only sign of activity was the steadfast Dharma Army of the Santi Asoke sect, who gathered in large numbers to listen to a sermon by the sect’s senior monk, Phra Bhodhirak.
The devout Buddhist sect vowed to continue its vigil until Thaksin steps down.
