THAILAND ILLUSTRATE: March 2006

Thousands begin march to Government House

By ThaiDay 14 March 2006 10:36

Led by members of the Santi Asoke Buddhist sect’s Dharmma Army, anti-Thaksin protestors began filing out of Sanam Luang just before 7am to begin their march to Government House.

In orderly files, thousands of demonstrators flooded Ratchadamnoen Road carrying colorful flags and banners and chanting “Thaksin Get Out.”

The march had an immediate effect on traffic as all vehicles around Sanam Luang and coming from Thon Buri across the Somdej Phra Pinklao Bridge came to a complete stop.

Along the route, residents – some still in their pyjamas – came out to watch the demonstrators pass.

As the front lines of the demonstration arrived at Democracy Monument around 7.10am, tens of thousands of protestors were still waiting to file out of Sanam Luang.

PAD leaders plan to stay briefly at the monument before continuing on to Government House just before 9am.

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PAD leaders call for calm before march
By David Ogan 14 March 2006 07:17

The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) urged demonstrators to protest peacefully this morning, before beginning a march to Government House to call for the ouster of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Less than two hours before the PAD began its march at 7am, several PAD leaders told the crowd not to respond to provocations and have faith that their peaceful protest will succeed.

Some 40,000 people were already present at Sanam Luang at 5.30am.

Rosana Tositrakul, a leading PAD figure, took the stage just after 5am to remind people not to carry weapons or provoke police.

“We must adhere to these peaceful principles to plant the roots of democracy deep in our country,” she said.

Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, a core member of the alliance leadership, said the march to Government House is not an attack.

“Do not enter or break into Government House,” he said. “We have planned this march well and we will sit outside Government House and believe me that Thaksin will be out in a few days.”

Chamlong said traffic on Somdej Phra Pin Klao and Rama VIII bridges will come to a halt.

“Thaksin will suffer great headaches that will be cured only with resignation.”

Sondhi Limthongkul, was the last PAD core leader to speak before the march.

“We will not leave Government House until Thaksin resigns,” he told the cheering crowds.

The PAD then commenced religious rituals that included Buddhist, Christian and Islamic rites at around 6am.

Various groups within the PAD, such as striking state enterprise workers and university students, began meeting up around 6am.

The march to Government House begins at 7am and the PAD is expected to arrive there just before 9am.

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