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Bangkok. It was far from being the “million-man march” that organizers had bullishly predicted last week, but tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters still overran the Thai capital on Sunday to press demands that the government dissolve Parliament or face massive demonstrations around the city.

The protesters — many from the poor northeast and north — want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call new elections, which they believe will allow their political allies to regain power.

Organizers had been hoping for a turnout of at least 600,000 and as much as a million, but estimates by police put the number at a little more than 100,000.

The crowd rallied peacefully under a blazing sun. Loud pop music and rural delicacies such as spicy papaya salad competed with fiery rhetoric for their attention. Bangkok’s notorious traffic was light and businesses were shuttered as many citizens feared a repeat of past violence during the four-day demonstrations, which officially began on Sunday but have been building for two days as caravans of protesters poured into the capital. The demonstrators stressed they would not resort to violence.

Many of the protesters, popularly known as the Red Shirts, back former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup for alleged corruption and abuse of power. They believe Abhisit came to power illegitimately with the connivance of the military and other parts of the traditional ruling class who were alarmed by Thaksin’s popularity, particularly among the poor.

“We’re demanding the government give up its administrative power by dissolving Parliament and returning power to the people,” a protest leader, Veera Musikapong, told a sea of red-shirted followers. “We’re giving the government 24 hours.”

The protesters, formally known as the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, said they would march on key locations in the city if the government failed to respond, including the headquarters of the 11th Infantry Regiment, where Abhisit has been living in recent days.

In his weekly radio address on Sunday morning, Abhisit indicated that he had no plans to dissolve the legislature. “Dissolution and calls for resignations are normal in a democratic system. But we have to make sure the dissolution of Parliament will solve the problem and won’t make the next election troublesome,” Abhisit said.

He denied rumors that a military coup was possible and said he would not impose a state of emergency that would give the army broad powers to deal with the protests. “This government has no intention to crack down on the protesters because that doesn’t benefit anyone,” he said.

One protest leader, Jatuporn Prompan, described the campaign as “the biggest war by the common people in the country’s history.” A force of 50,000 soldiers, police and other security personnel was mobilized in the capital area.

The march is regarded by some as the last chance for Thaksin to return to Thailand.

“If Thaksin returns, grass-roots people will be taken care of thoroughly,” said Buakham Bunthai, a herb seller.

 

Associated Press