Chamlong leads the members of the Santi Asoke Buddhist sect, many are monks and nuns of the sect, to walk from bear-foot from the Royal Plaza to Sanam Luang.

Sanam Luang comes alive with activities of the protesters.

[Click here to see photos from the rally site]

Members of Dharma Army carry big luggage with them, indicating they will stay put. Most of protesters tie yellow band around their head. (The anti-Thaksin coaliton has been using yellow, which represents His Majesty, as a symbol for fighting against Thaksin and fighting for HM.)

Some 100 policemen from Metropolitan Police Bureau are deployed to keep law and order.

12:45 pm: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrives at the Thai Rak Thai head office to have lunch with leading members. He declines to give interviews to reporters.

12:50 pm: Sudarat Keyuraphan, deputy leader of Thai Rak Thai Party, calls on Democrat Party to participate in the April 2 snap election. She says Thai Rak Thai is now standing with its back against the wall.

1:29 pm: Pol Col Pinij Maneerat, spokesman of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, tells ASTV that police expect no untoward incident at Sanam Luang. He says some 4,000 policemen will be deployed to keep law and order. He says police will not be armed. Police are told to exercise extreme tolerance.

1:36 pm: Thai Time Radio station on FM 94 MHz reports that there are rumours that Parinya Nakchatree quit as Election Commission member.

1:40 pm: ASTV reports that utilities tent to provide medical and other supports to protesters have been set up. The satellite station says the stage setup is nearly complete.

Leaders of the Anti-Thaksin coalition will go on the stage to attack the prime minister at 4 pm.

1:44 pm: ASTV reports that people from several provinces were blocked at road checkpoints from travelling to Bangkok to join the rally. They include people from Phetchabun.

2:00 pm: Thai Rak Thai's legal time holds a press conference to denounce the Democrat and Mahachon parties for indicating that they would boycott the election. Wichit Plungsrikul, a legal expert of the party, says the two parties do not support democracy.

Leading members of the People's Alliance for Democracy hold a meeting at the October 14 Memorial to map out rally strategies.

2:45 pm: Parinya denies he has resigned as EC commissioner.

2:48 pm: Senator Karun Sai-ngam tells ASTV that he has learnt that the Chat Thai Party has decided to boycott the election.

3:05 pm: The Chat Thai resolves to boycott the April 2 election. Chat Thai leader Banharn Silpa-archa will send two representatives - Nikorn Chamnong and Somsak Prissanananthakul to participate in a press conference with the Democrat Party at the Sofitel Central Hotel at 3:30 pm.

3:30 pm: Some 5,000 people gather at the rally site at Sanam Luang. The PAD finishes setting up the stage and amplifiers and loudspeakers.

3:40 pm: ASTV broadcasts feeds from Sanam Luang, displaying that people carrying umbrellas bracing blazing sun to gather in front of the stage.

4:05 pm: ASTV reports live from Sanam Luang that a man comes to a tent where Chamlong is resting and hurls abusive words against the former Palang Dharma leader. The man is quickly whisked away by police.

The satellite channel says a press room with fax and Internet connections has been set up to facilitate foreign reporters at the rally site.

4:12 pm: ASTV reports that FM92.25 community radio station and Thaiinside.com Web site have been closed down by the government.

4:15 pm: Somsak Prissanananthakul, a Chat Thai deputy leader, confirms that the three smaller parties will call on Thaksin to invoke Article 313 of the Constitution to set up an independent non-partisan committee to reform politics or else the parties will boycott the election. He says members of the committee must be acceptable to the public and must be appointed by His Majesty.

4:50 pm: Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Mahachon Party leader Sanan Kachornprasat hold a press conference to announce that the two parties call on Thaksin to set up an independent committee to amend the Constitution. They will boycott the election if Thaksin doesn't give in to the demand.

The Chat Thai sends representatives to observe the press conference but the Chat Thai will make a formal announcement about the party's stand at 7 pm.

5:00 pm: The first speaker, a lecturer from Rangsit University, goes up on the stage to attack Thaksin.

5:40 pm: A Chat Thai source tells The Nation News Network that the opposition could not so far announce a common stand on whether to boycott the election because Chat Thai leader Banharn Silapa-archa is still negotiating with Thaksin. So far, the opposition postpones an announcement to 7 pm.

5:45 pm: A helicopter flies over Sanam Luang, Suwit Watnu, a spokesman, tells the crowds to stay calm.

5:50 pm: A spokesman announces that PAD's leading members will go up on the stage at 6:30 pm.

6:18 pm: Chamlong walks among the demonstrators to greet them.

6:25 pm: Pian Yongnoo, president of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority Union, tells the crowds not to vote for Democrat Party for declining to boycott the election.

6:30 pm: Thaksin neither accepts or rejects the opposition's proposal for a pact for him to sign, promising setting an independent committee to reform politics. Speaking to reporters at the Thai Rak Thai head office, he says he will assign Deputy Prime Minister Bokhin Palakula and party executive Pongthep Thepkanchana to study the opposition's proposal.

Suriya Juengruengruangkij says the Thai Rak Thai has prepared 95 per cent of its candidates.

6:50 pm: The number of demonstrators is estimated at over 50,000, occupying about half of 68-rai area of Sanam Luang.

7:00 pm: Sonthi Limthongkul arrives at Sanam Luang. He goes straight to pay respect to Santi Asoke leader Phra Phothirak. Photirak tells Sondhi that the anti-Thaksin coalition has to fight peacefully to remove an immoral leader.

7:15 pm: Leading members of the People's Alliance for Democracy appear on the stage. People wave the flags to greet the leaders, including Chamlong, Sondhi, Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general for the Campaign for Popular Democracy.

7:22 pm: Chaiwat Sinsuwong, former Palang Dharma Party leader, goes up on the stage to attack Thaksin. Chaiwat says the Thai people want Thaksin to leave office because he has no ethic and has become immoral.

7:30 pm: Some demonstrators surround a TV crew from iTV station after the reporter announces on its Camera that there are only 6,000 demonstrators. Samran Rodphet, a spokesman, asks the crowds to be calm so the demonstrators allow the iTV crew to retreat from its coverage area in front of the Emerald Buddha Temple and asks the station not to cover the rally.

Representatives of the Democrat submit a letter to the Thai Rak Thai asking it to sign a pact to promise that it will support constitutional amendments.

7:43 pm: Chingchai Mongkoltham, leader of the New Aspiration Party, goes up on stage to criticise Thaksin. He says there is no reason for Thaksin to dissolve the House.

8:00 pm: A spokesman announces to the demonstrators that small protests are held in many provinces around the country, including 2,000 in Surat Thani's downtown and 2,000 at the Kaen Nakhon Lake in Khon Kaen.

The spokesman also asks for donations to finance the rally.

8:05 pm: A spokesman says Chamlong will go up on stage to speak before 9 pm.

8:16 pm: Uaychai Watha, a leading teacher, goes up on the stage to criticise Thaksin's over the government's plan to transfer government schools to be under supervision of local administrative organisations.

8:19 pm: Banharn holds a live press conference on Channel 7, denying earlier rumours that he negotiated for financial support and MPs quota from Thaksin. He insists that he will sign a pact with other opposition parties to call for political reform.

8:20 pm: A power generator of the protest organiser catches fire. The fire is broadcast live on Channel 9 and 7. The fire is brought under control quickly.

8:30 pm: Uaychai announces on the stage that some 200,000 teachers will boycott election by not serving as officials at polling stations.

Uaychais says teachers will strike from March 1 if Thaksin fails to resign within three days.

8:37 pm: Crowds cheer when the announcer introduces Chamlong. Chamlong says he is happy to see a lot of people who love the country gather at Sanam Luang.

Chamlong asks the crowds if some of them participate in the pro-democracy rally in May 1992.

Chamlong tells the crowds that they have not to worry of violence because new military and police leaders are new-generation leaders and will never use force against the people.

Chamlong says someone planted a bomb at Santi Asoke headquarters to intimidate members of the Dharma Army so that they would not join the rally.

Chamlong says the people will win in forcing Thaksin to step down if a lot of them are patient and stay put at the rally. 

8:48 pm: Social critic Sulak Sivalak goes up on stage. The crowds roar with laughter when he asks them to have mercy for Thaksin "like we have mercy for our dog".

He says Thaksin should be thankful for making it possible for people to be united and gather in so high number.

9:00 pm: Senator Karun Saingam addresses the crowds. He says about 800 people in Buri Ram is watching the rally from satellite broadcast at a garage.

Karun says Thaksin abuses his absolute control of the House of Representatives and Senate to issue laws to permit him to sell national concessions of Shin Corp to Singapore.

The crowds roar with cheer when Karun urges the people to retaliate against Thaksin by not paying taxes because Thaksin has failed to pay taxes for his income worth Bt73 billion from the sale of Shin Corp.

Demonstrators cheer when he tells the people that Thaksin's assets will have to be seized and used as national budget.

Deputy Government Spokesman asks reporters to leave Govern House, saying the situation is worrying.

9:15 pm: Suwit Watnoo, a spokesman, announces that about 100,000 people are now gathering at Sanam Luang.

Two announcers say the number of people in provinces watching the rally from satellite broadcast have grown up. For example, some 1,000 gather in Trang and some 3,000 in Songkhla.

9:18 pm: Crowds roar with cheers when media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul goes up on the stage to address the people.

9:26 pm: The crowds roar with boo against Thaksin when Sondhi tells them that Thaksin pressured Thammasat University not to allow Sondhi to hold talk shows in the university.

He says the number of people gather at the Muang Thai Rai Sapda at Lumpini Park has been increasing because people are dissatisified with the government's attempt to harass Sondhi's audience.

9:42 pm: Sondhi says Thaksin became frightened after seeing the number of people his protesters increased. Sondhi says Thaksin dissolved the House of Representatives to escape liability over his alleged wrongdoing.

Sondhi says the number of protesters will grow until Sanam Lung is burst when more people from provinces will join the rally on Monday.

9:48 pm: The people cheer when Sondhi gives them a wai to thank them for joining the rally. Sondhi leaves the stage.

9:57 pm: ASTV reports that some 10 border patrol policemen are deployed to keep law and order at the iTV station head office at the Shinawatra 2 building.

10:11 pm: Rally organisers are counting donated money. Money from two of three boxes are counted for Bt136,000. Counting is still being made.

10:15 pm: Somsak Kosaisuk, a state enterprise union leader, blames Thaksin for violence in the deep South by sending Thai soldiers to join the US-led multinational forces in Iraq. He says the problem in the deep South will be solved only after Thaksin leaves office.

10:20 pm: Somsak says the people have the mission to bring down Thaksin because none of independent organisations does its job in checking wrongdoing against the prime minister.

10:23 pm: Demonstrators raise their hands when Somsak ask if they think Thaksin should leave office.

"Get out, Get out," the people chant after Somsak shout "Thaksin, Thaksin".

10:26 pm: Doctor Weng Tojitrakarn goes up on stage. He attacks Thaksin for giving several national assets to foreigners, including satellite obit, and potash mining and Internet broadband connection.

Weng, chairman of the Federation for Democracy, says Thaskin has lied by promising to amend the 11 acts, which are denounced as tools for giving up Thailand to foreign investors. He says Thaksin has never kept the promise.

10:44 pm: A student activist from Thaksin University in Songkhla says Thaksin should listen to the people's voice by leaving office.

10:58 pm: Nine senators appear on the stage. They include Kraisak Chonhavan, Maleerat Kaewka, Chirmsak Pinthong, Somboon Thongburan, Nirand Pithakwatchara, Winyu Uralkul, Pichet Pattanachote, and Karun Saingam.

Pichet says over 60 senators were paid by Thaksin to elect members of independent organisations, including the Election Commission, at Thaksin's order.

11:13 pm; An announcer says 2,000 people are watching ASTV's broadcast of the rally at a market. He says many more people in several other countries are also joining the rally through watching of ASTV.

11:16 pm: Wiroj Tangwanit, a former TV host, criticises former student activists from pro-democracy rally in 1973 who are now Cabinet members or working for Thaksin. "They are serving dogs."

11:20 pm: A satirical Chinese opera by former Thammasat students is played.

The crowds roar with laughter when a character, who plays Thaksin role, says he has zombie slaves in the both lower and upper houses.

The play satires against the Constitution Court and says the Thaksin character has taken over all the courts, except the people's court of Judge Pao.

The plays also satires Thaksin's sale of Shin Corp without having to pay taxes.

At the end, Judge Pao tries to expel "Thaksin" to British Virgin Islands but he refuses. The villain then flees after Judge Pao rules that he must be beheaded.

11:53 pm: Leading members of PAD go up on stage to announce a statement. Pipop Thongchai, a leading member of PAD, reads the forth statement, saying the people will continue to rally peacefully at Sanam Luang until Thaksin resigns.

Pipop reads from the statement that the number of protesters has increased to about 200,000.

The statement says the rally is to fight against dictatorial system to restore genuine democracy.

The statement calls on people, who are free to continue the rally, to stay at the rally site. It also calls working people to join the rally after office hours.

The statement also calls on the people to monitor news from the PAD closely.

12:00 am: An announcer asks demonstrators to raise hands in support of the PAD's announcement to continue the rally non-stop.

[Read Day 2's coverage]