Reds' minor objectives met, now the real challenge

Photo by Sakol Sandhiratne

And a main stage and tents quickly sprang up.

Now, the red-shirted movement will be staring at the real challenge - to prolong the "siege" until something fruitful happens. Its rival, the People's Alliance for Democracy, managed to encamp inside Government House for more than three months, during which administrative work was disrupted and two successive Cabinets were perceived as lame ducks. Will the red-shirted people go as far? Or can they?

 It's too early to tell. Many protesters seemed to be genuinely ideologically driven but it was no secret a large number would stay only as long as the financial supplies last. Others sincerely love the man who was poised to make a phone-in but most have mouths to feed and perhaps only a few were equipped for a long fight.

 The next few days will be crucial, so the organisers are expected to do everything they can to maintain the crowds. The delay in the planned long-distance address by Thaksin Shinawatra may have been caused by technical problems as claimed, but it prompted suspicion that it could have also been a ploy to keep the anticipation - and thus the crowds - alive.

In a very brief phone call broadcast to the protesters after 8pm, Thaksin asked them to stay put and promised the "real show" will come today. He kept everyone guessing as to what he will say next, after lashing out at a key member of the Privy Council the other day.

 The red-shirted activities were ironically overshadowed earlier yesterday by the Bt2,000 cash-handout programme of the Abhisit government. The distribution of gift cheques sent people scrambling to department stores and government offices all across the nation. The programme was cruelly mocked by red-shirted protesters who went to pick up their cheques and then donated the received cash to protest organisers.

 Scenes around Government House were a deja vu in another colour. But more differences between the pro-Thaksin rally and the one by his opponents in yellow will become more glaring in the next few days. The current protesters have vowed not to invade Government House and said they would avoid violence. But we always heard this at the beginning of every political campaign.