Protesters to stop blocking Victory Monument at 5 pm

Jatuporn Promphan, a red-shirted leader, told reporters that protesters would stop blocking the roads at the Victory Monument at 5 pm.

He said the Victory Monument was no longer important strategic location after the government decided to make Friday an extra national holiday.

He said protesters at the Victory Monument would move back to join the rally at the Government House.

He said some red-shirted protester would return to their home provinces during the Songkran holidays by the red-shirted movement would have enough force to maintain our position outside the Government House.

The Victory Monument is a major intersection in the heart of Bangkok. Protesters managed to paralyse traffic in inner Bangkok by blocking the intersection Thursday afternoon.

Jatuporn was speaking to reporters after he and Weng Tojitrakan, another red-shirted leader, went to address protesters on the stage at the Victory Monument.

Jatuporn said the fight by the red-shirted became successful because it at least forced the government to give an extra holiday.

Jatuporn told the protesters that the red-shirted movement would hold another mass rally after the long Songkran holidays.

"This time it will be do-or-die battle," Jatuporn said.

He told the crowd that the red-shirted movement would deploy protesters to hound Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva during the Songkran holidays.

Speaking to the crowd at the Victory Monument, Weng said the road blockade at the Victory Monument cause hardship to hospitals in the area.

"We don't want to cause hardship to the hospitals but we want to terrify the government," Weng said.

Speaking to reporters after addressing the crowd, Jatuporn said he did not believe the statement of the Rajvithi Hospital that it was running out of oxygen for patients.

"The claim was only an act of play by the Public Health Ministry. We did not block ambulances or vehicles of the hospital. Doctors should not have allowed themselves to become tools of the government," Jatuporn said.