Five groups of political activists have emerged as a thorn in the side of the Council for National Security (CNS) and the government. Although they come from different origins, and some are at odds with others, they have a common goal: to rally against the September 19 coup and the CNS.

The groups staged separate protests at Sanam Luang last Sunday that attracted about a thousand people. However, when the rally moved to the Democracy Monument in the evening, the number of protesters swelled to more than 2,000.

The People's Group for Democracy, led by Chanapat na Nakorn, or "Temujin" (the given name of Genghis Khan) as he is known, was the first group to announce plans to rally at Sanam Luang on Constitution Day.

Later the Saturday People against Dictatorship, which is led by political activist Sudchai Bunchai, followed suit by announcing plans to hold a rally.

But before that day came, both groups were throwing mud at each other with claims that their leaders had obtained Bt10 million from some politicians to fund their rallies.

Sudchai and Chanapat had formed an anti-coup coalition called the Saturday Opposition Group against the Coup.

This became the springboard for the People's Group for Democracy, which Chanapat later took control of by forcing Sudchai out. In retaliation, Sudchai kicked Chanapat out of the Saturday Opposition Group against the Coup.

Sudchai filed a police complaint charging Chanapat with libel in regard to his claim that Sudchai had been given Bt10 million from certain politicians. Finally Chanaphat cancelled his rally, giving as his reason a request from a highly-respected person.

However, Sudchai went ahead with his plan to hold the anti-coup rally.

Besides those groups, Pirab Khao (White Pigeon) 2006 and Dhamma Tippatai Group also actively participated in the rally.

The anti-coup protest seemed to be poorly received by the general public.

Yet, although the crowd was small, the possible effects of the rally on the CNS should not be underestimated as the group which took the limelight was not Sudchai's but the September 19 Network, led by Chulalongkorn University political scientist Giles "Ji" Ungpakorn and activist Sombat Boonngam-anong.

This network denied it had joined with the other groups to demonstrate at Sanam Luang. They also accused the groups under activists Sudchai and Chanaphat of having been hired to create confusion among pro-democracy citizens.

Indeed, the September 19 Network was the first group to oppose the coup; Giles led some students to oppose the coup in a peaceful gathering at Siam Paragon under the slogan, "No to Thaksin ... No to the coup".

The network also invites people to exercise their freedom of expression on its website www.19sep.org

The September 19 network's members are students, young activists and pro-democracy supporters.

But the fact that the number of protesters increased in the evening showed there was some feeling behind the rally's sentiment and could prove to have a powerful effect on the CNS.

This may be more so, because the September 19 network's leaders couldn't be pressured like Temujin, who called off his group's participation after being contacted by the junta.

Besides opposing the coup and demanding speedy restoration of democracy, the participating groups also questioned the motives of the CNS.

It was pointed out that it appeared they were attempting to insinuate their way into power by such methods as appointing too many generals to executive boards of major state enterprises.

The rally covered the problem of the new constitution and the mandate that the CNS has given itself to choose the members of the Constitution Drafting Assembly and to issue more orders whenever it deems appropriate.

If the September 19 Network can communicate to the people that they do not enjoy real freedom and that the CNS will continue to cling to power, then more people may gather at Sanam Luang to oust the CNS.

The political situation might become similar to the movement which sought to depose former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, when the People's Alliance for Democracy built up a huge amount of support for his ouster.

The PAD rallies ended up creating so much political turmoil that the military stepped in.

Even if the military wants to try and control the latest situation, it has no reason to use aggressive measures to halt the rallies because they realise that the September 19 Network is not setting up a mob.

The network has promised to hold rallies at Sanam Luang every Sunday from now on. The Confederation for Democracy, lead by Weng Tojirakarn, plans to join the rallies.

Could political turmoil be returning to the streets of Bangkok?

Sucheera Pinijparakarn

The Nation