Red-shirt mass rally planned Saturday

They said the red shirts, who are part of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), would also renew their campaign against the so-called elitist polity [process of government].

Red-shirt leaders Veera Musigapong, Jatuporn Phromphan, Nattawut Saikua and Weng Tojirakarn called a press conference yesterday about the upcoming rally to be held at Sanam Luang on Saturday evening.

Jatuporn said fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is on a self-imposed exile overseas, would deliver a speech through a video link to his supporters. The ex-PM would assail the government on many issues, he added.

An MP for the opposition Pheu Thai Party, Jatuporn said the rally would be a "big fight for a return of democracy". He added that it was time for the government to dissolve the House as it had made no progress and showed no sincerity in solving the country's problems.

He said the red shirts would resume their campaign to oust privy councillors Prem Tinsulanonda, Charnchai Likhitjitta and Surayud Chulanond. "We may lodge a petition with His Majesty the King," he added.

Nattawut said the Saturday rally would carry on the spirit of Kana Rassadorn (The People's Party), which in 1932 staged a coup against King Rama VII and overthrew absolute monarchy.

He said the rally would start at 4pm on Saturday and end at 6am Sunday, with no plans for fanning out to stage mini-protests in other locations.

The red shirts' previous major rally earlier this year led to riots in Bangkok during the Songkran festival. The protests were suppressed in a military crackdown and the red-shirt leaders opted to abruptly end the rally outside Government House.

Veera said that at Saturday's rally, the red shirts would launch their new newspaper called Maha Prachachon (The Masses), which would be available every three days. He said that he, Jatuporn and Nattawut would have their regular columns.

There would also be a regular space for Thaksin to convey messages to his supporters. The column would show Thaksin's postcards from places he has visited overseas.

The paper's first issue would have Thaksin's postcard from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, according to Nattawut.