Asia-Pacific

Thai protesters vow to end "Thaksin regime"

(AFP)
Updated: 2006-04-08 15:34

Tens of thousands of protesters celebrated Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's decision to step down by rallying into the early hours of Saturday but warned that their battle is far from over.

Anti-Thaksin protesters celebrate their win during a rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands gathered in the shadow of Thailand's royal palace as opponents of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra held a victory rally after forcing him to step aside.[AFP]

With Thailand now in a political stalemate, rally organisers told the crowd outside Bangkok's Royal Palace that Thaksin must leave politics for good so he cannot continue to rule through a puppet leader.

"The protests won't be over because it's not finished yet," said Jatumet Jenwajiporn, a 47-year-old businessman sitting among the 50,000-strong crowd in the carnival-like overnight rally.

"All the power is still in the Thai Rak Thai party," he said, referring to the party Thaksin founded and continues to run.

Looking ahead, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has spearheaded two months of protests, stressed that only constitutional reform followed by new elections would end what they call the "Thaksin regime".

They also said the PAD -- a broad coalition that includes non-government organisations, Buddhist monks, anti-globalisation activists and teachers -- would soon be renamed the Assembly of the People for Democracy (APD).

"Many people were afraid that we will now stop our fight," said coalition spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan. "But at the rally leaders told the people that we will not stop until the Thaksin regime is stopped."

Populist Thaksin, a 56-year-old telecom tycoon and ex-policeman, shocked the nation last week when he said he would not stay on as prime minister, despite having won a weekend vote largely on the back of strong rural support.

His decision last Tuesday came hours after a private audience with the deeply revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej and follows months of protests against what critics charge has been Thaksin's autocratic and corrupt leadership style.

But Thaksin -- who said Saturday he is planning a holiday in Britain from next week -- said he would stay on as head of the Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party that has ruled for five years and remain a member of parliament.

Many of Thaksin's rivals suspect he will continue to wield power from behind the scenes.

On the edge of the protest crowd, Buddhist monk Ratana Nantho said "I guess people are still very suspicious of Thaksin's intentions because he's too smart, too clever, too shrewd, too manipulative.

"People don't trust him. People don't take his word."

"Right now, we're successful," added a protester, public servant Pradit Noomprasit, 50, who was wearing an anti-Thaksin t-shirt.

"But tomorrow, we don't know what will happen. We're protesting today because we are afraid he'll come back."

Mass rallies against Thaksin began in early February after his family sold, tax-free, 1.9 billion dollars of shares in Shin Corp, the telecoms firm he founded before entering politics.

Thaksin called elections three years early, seeking a fresh mandate, but the gamble backfired when the opposition boycotted the polls and millions of Thais cast protest abstention votes against him.

Last week's events have left the Buddhist kingdom in political limbo and with confusion about the near future.

The main opposition Democrat Party has again refused to field candidates in April 23 by-elections, creating a hurdle for Thaksin's party because unopposed candidates must win at least 20 percent of the vote to take office.

The tactic, along with threatened legal challenges over alleged vote irregularities, casts doubt on whether all the 500 seats will be filled and a new parliament will be in place on schedule by May 1.