BANGKOK: Anti-government protesters resumed marches in Bangkok yesterday, trying to energise supporters in the centre of the Thai capital before a planned mass rally at the weekend to put pressure on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down.
Yingluck called a snap election last week when the protests reached their height. She remains caretaker premier until the February 2 vote but has refused to push back the date to allow the drawing-up of political reforms demanded by the protesters.
“Once the government has resigned, I would like to have other people who are neutral take charge,” said protester Siriroj Oh-Prechacharn as marchers prepared to leave the main rally site at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument.
The National Security Council said there were about 3,000 people at yesterday’s march, about half the size of the crowd when the latest round of marches kicked off on Thursday.
“We are ready to hold elections on February 2... today the government said it will help ensure that elections take place smoothly,” said commission member Teerawat Terarotwit.
The commission had earlier expressed concern over the possibility of unrest at the polls and said it could delay them if all parties agreed.
The protesters want to eradicate the influence on Thai politics of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck’s older brother, who is seen as the power behind her government from his base in Dubai. Reuters
