Bangkok, January 24: Thousands of Thailand’s red-shirted protesters have held an anti-government rally in the capital Bangkok to demand the release of their leaders.
The demonstration came about a month after the Thai government lifted a state of emergency that had been in force in Bangkok for more than eight months, a Media correspondent reported on Sunday.
A state of emergency was declared during the anti-government protests in the Thai capital earlier in 2010.
Red Shirts on Sunday started to gather at the Ratchprasong intersection in the commercial heart of Bangkok to repeat their demand.
The new Red Shirt strategy for 2011 is to hold weekly demonstrations while training smaller groups that will mobilize into a large force when needed, the correspondent said.
One of the Red Shirts leader, Sombat Boonngamanong, who has been developing the idea of a training school for activists since last year, joined the demonstrators to explain the new strategy to them.
Analysts, who have been studying the situation, recommend a more pragmatic and unifying objective amongst the different groups, the Reds, the Yellows and the Multi Coloreds.
But, ten months since the start of the protests in March 2010, reconciliation and democracy have remained unresolved issues in the Southeastern Asian country.
More than 90 people were killed in April and May during clashes between supporters of ousted ex-Premier Thaksin Shinawatra and Thai security forces.
Thai incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in a televised address Sunday night that he would not submit to the protesters’ demands.
The government had promised elections at the earliest possible date. The premier has stated that he prefers to hold elections during the first half of the year in order to restore political stability and appease all parties.
The next big day for demonstrations in Bangkok will be on January 25, when pro-government and anti-government groups will simultaneously appear on the streets.
——-Agencies