Anti-gov't group holds rally in central Bangkok
20/10/2008 16:47
Thailand's People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) held a rally in central
Bangkok today, protesting against the use of excessive force by the police on
the Oct. 7 clash.
The protesters, organized by PAD, a civilian
anti-government coalition, gathered in the morning in the central commercial
area of the city.
At 10 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), they started a
demonstration from the Central World, a major shopping mall near national police
headquarters, distributing to passers-by video discs (VCDs) and leaflets
critical of the police crackdown against demonstrators nearly two weeks ago.
Some carried portraits of the two victims of the clashes, as well as slogans
which say "Somchai is a killer" or "Somchai should step down".
The procession
jammed the traffic in the main streets in central Bangkok and the police
headquarters strengthened observation.
Two people died and nearly 500 others
were injured during the day-long clashes between the police and demonstrators on
Oct. 7.
The PAD marched through the Silom and Sathorn business districts in
the heart of the capital city on Oct. 17, passing out their VCDs and leaflets to
passers-by in Bangkok's primary business corridor.
Thailand's Prime Minister
Somchai Wongsawat said on Oct. 17 that the government is willing to accept
results of two fact- finding panels, which have been set up to find details
about the clashes.
It is expected that the panels would spend 15 days to find
facts on the deadly clashes.
Xinhua
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