Network of academics, businessmen, civic grouups asks citizens to join forces t counter red shirts
A rapidly expanding network of academics, businessmen and civic-society organisations has urged peace-loving citizens to join forces tomorrow in a bid to counter the red-shirt protesters.
Their venue is Chulalongkorn University's lawns in front of the twin statue of King Rama V and King Rama VI.
Meanwhile, 1,000 representatives of 25 tourism and related associations will also gather tomorrow inside Bangkok's Lumpini Park in a show of unity against violence as they urge all parties concerned to quickly end the current conflict.
Three-dao Aphaiwong, a Chulalongkorn lecturer, who has helped organise the event, said the April 2 rally was aimed at all citizens, businessmen and civic-society organisations who support the cause of peaceful conflict resolution.
She stressed that the movement was non-partisan and "colour-blind" as far as the current political rifts were concerned.
Pornsak Limboonprasert, secretary-general of a pro-democracy businessmen's club, said the business community was largely opposed to the red-shirt protesters' demand for the government to immediately dissolve the House of Representatives.
DISSOLUTION 'WON'T SOLVE PROBLEMS'
"This will hit foreign investors' confidence in Thailand. Such a House dissolution would not solve any problems if we don't have proper short-, medium- and long-term measures to manage the consequences.
"It's the business of everyone, not just some groups of people. And we want to resolve this conflict with no violence. This country will move forward only when we invest and create new jobs."
He said export businesses were growing and there was a growing demand for workers. "The stock market is rising. Overall, we don't want the business and investment atmosphere to be hurt by the political conflict," he said.
Vichian Nak-indaranont, a businessman, said several hundred businessmen are expected to join tomorrow's gathering at Chulalongkorn University.
Nutthapol Kerdkasem, chairman of a council of civic-society organisations in Bangkok, said the council's representatives would attend the gathering at Chulalongkorn University.
Council members include a network of 1,800 self-defence, civil-rights and other communities in Bangkok.
To attract a large number of supporters, e-mails and forwards have been widely used to invite people to gather at Chulalongkorn University at 2pm tomorrow.
The movement's organisers said their key objectives were as follows:
A show of unity for peace against some groups of people.
People who have occupied public roads and the right of way are asked to disperse, as Bangkok residents have been held hostage by their fight against the government in the past several weeks.
People who have insulted the monarchy are asked to stop doing so.
The movement is against a House dissolution at an inappropriate time.
The movement is against amending the Constitution to benefit wrongdoers.
Meanwhile, tourism and related operators in major tourist cities, including Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, Udon Thani, Samui |and Krabi, will join a separate |gathering to call for a peaceful and quick resolution of the current conflict.
The weeks-long protests in Bangkok have hurt hotels, tour operators, airlines and other related businesses, as the number of foreign tourist arrivals has plunged as a result of increased political instability.
Tourism and related business operators are also worried that the upcoming Songkran festival, when a large number of foreign tourists visit Thailand, will be hit hard if the anti-government protests extend well into April.
For example, Bangkok's areas from Sanam Luang to Khao San Road - near the red shirts' rally site at Phan Fa Bridge - are usually a major celebration spot during the festival.
To address this problem, the Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to move the venue to Silom Road in the business district this year so round-the-clock security can be provided to visitors.
