Red shirts plan Dec 28 rally in Sanam Luang

A rally of pro-Thaksin red shirts has been planned for Sanam Luang on December 28, eve of the day the new government is scheduled to declare its policy statement before Parliament.

Veera Musigapong, co-host of the "Truth Today" talk show and leader of the red shirts, said yesterday the Cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva had no legitimacy to run the country and that many of his likely Cabinet members were unacceptable.

"We are calling for a large rally on December 28 at Sanam Luang. It's because we have no trust in this government from the beginning. We will call on this government to dissolve the House of Representatives as soon as it completes announcing its policy statement before Parliament," he said.

Veera said it remained undecided whether the protesters would move on to Parliament, where Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will read out his policy statement before the House. Also he said protest leaders had not yet decided whether to continue the rally for a long period.

Veera said his group found that certain likely members of the new Cabinet were unacceptable. Democrat MP Kasit Piromya, tipped to become foreign minister, was involved with the People's Alliance for Democracy, which illegally occupied Government House for months before seizing Bangkok's two airports, he said.

First Army commander Lt-General Kanit Sapithak, yesterday warned against "creating more confusion in the country", saying differences of views were common in a democracy but that they should not develop into chaos.

"Our country has experienced confusion and much damage. Now our democracy is going ahead … In addition to making ourselves and our families happy, we must also make sure there is peace in the country," he said.

Yesterday 300 red shirts laid siege to the Dusit police station to demand release of Chokchai Kamlue, arrested for damaging vehicles and injuring MPs on the day the House voted to select a new prime minister. The protesters also blocked a road near the police station with taxis.

They accused police of unfair treatment for failing to get tough with the yellow-shirts, referring to followers of the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy.

Station superintendent Police Colonel Chakrapap Sukontharat told the crowd the man was in court detention at the time. The officer showed them a document to convince the protesters, who later dispersed.

A group of 200 red shirts also gathered at the state-run NBT channel to demand why "Truth Today" had been replaced by other programmes for a few days.

Suriyong Hunthasan, director of NBT, explained that although the "Truth Today" producers' contract had a month to go, station management saw a need to broadcast other programmes in the prime-time slot from time to time.

In Chiang Mai, Kanyaphak Maneechak, a local leader of the red shirts, said that some 800 would today protest at the house of Chiang Mai MP Norapol Tantimontri, who recently voted to support Democrat leader Abhisit as new PM.

Norapol said he had some business in Bangkok today but that his family would welcome the protesters with food and drink in his absence.