Red-shirt leader Arisman Pongruangrong yesterday claimed that about 20,000 Buddhist monks would join the protest organised by the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship next week.
He said the monks would be coming from temples such as Dhammakaya, Kaew Fah and many others in the northern, northeastern and central regions.
The monks will provide a morale boost to the red shirts, he said, and will pray and chant so the demonstrators can defeat the devil (mara).
They will also remind the police, soldiers and the government to be mindful not to harm the red shirts, he added.
Arisman said about 5,000 farming families had begun making their journey to Bangkok, with stopovers planned in Nakhon Ratchasima and Saraburi.
He warned Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban not to attempt to stop farming vehicles from entering Bangkok, saying farmers would continue by foot even if their vehicles were stopped.
Arisman also filed a complaint with Chiang Rai police yesterday after a group of men allegedly photographed and videotaped him and another red-shirt leader while trying to leave Chiang Rai Airport.
He said his guards had managed to catch up with the men, who claimed they were intelligence officers trying to take photos on the orders of their superior.
