Source: The Nation

It’s morning in Thailand, land of the free, and the biggest rally of the year is engulfing the mighty angel city of Bangkok.

Hundreds of thousands of protestors are marching in a bid to force the resignation of Thaksin Shinawatra.

Things are getting very tense and the King is starting to stir. In one particularly dramatic development over the weekend, the government TV station interrupted its normally scheduled program to run footage of the King’s peacemaking role in the 1992 riots, which was the last time there was major unrest in Thailand. That was taken as a sign by Thais that the King was getting fed up with this and wanted Thaksin and his opponents to talk through and make a deal. There is no sign of that happening however. Thaksin refuses to budge from his business deals, or resign, and the opposition vows not to leave the streets until Thaksin is sent packing. There is talk that a new prime minister to replace the old is now being discussed. Also, Thaksin says he’s ready to declare a state of emergency. The Government House (that’s the White House to us) is under seige.

It’s starting to boil over there. This is getting very big.

The Nation, a very reputable English-language newspaper in Bangkok, is live-blogging the rally right now and the link is here.

Excerpts:

10:47 am: Nation News Agency reports that the Metropolitan Police Bureau has prepared five fire engines and 600 commando police for dispersing protesters in case of emergency. Another 5,000 policemen have been deployed to keep law and order at the rally site.

10:43 am: Senator Karun Sai-ngam takes a stage. He says Thaksin escapes political trouble to Ubon Ratchathani. He says Thaksin has gone out of his mind, judging from the way he appeared and gestured while speaking to media.

Karun calls on the national police chief to arrest Thaksin for cheating the country.

10:20 am: The Education Ministry allows protesters to use toilet rooms in the ministry’s compound.

10:00 am: Sondhi tells the crowd to brace the heat and blazing sun for the sake of the country. Sondhi says the five decision makers of the PAD are willing to face arrest if the government declares state of emergency.

Chamlong tells the protesters to sacrifice for the country by staying put at the rally site.

9:50 am : Soracha Pornudomsak asks the protesters if they will stay there until Thaksin resign. The protesters shout, “yesss.”

9:20 am: Suriyasai Taksila, secretary-general of the Popular Campaign for Democracy takes the stage set up in front of the Government House. He says many taxi drivers initially planned to join pro-Thaskin rally have changed their minds and join the anti-Thaksin protest at the Government House.

He also denies reports that some members of People’s Alliance for Democracy had held talks with the government in order to cease the protest

9:15 am : Thaksin says his government is ready to announce state of emergency if the protest in Bangkok turns violent.

9:00 am: PAD sets up three stages with the main one is at Phitsanulok intersection.

8:45 am: Protesters are seen on TV gathering in front of Government House.

The tail of the procession reaches the Pan Fah Bridge.

8:30 am: The leading amplifier truck of the procession reaches Government House, ASTV reports.

Organisers of the protest say there are some 200,000 protesters but police estimate the number only at 50,000.

“This is more than any previous rally,” a Special Branch police commander told AFP, estimating the crowd at between 50,000 and 60,000.

The five decision makers of the PAD ask the crowd to stay calm and not destroy government property.

8:28 am: The head of procession, comprising villagers and mobile stage, reaches in front of Civil Service Commission Office’s head office.

8:23 am: PM’s Office Minister Newin Chidchob denied speculation that Thaksin had offered to take a sick leave instead of resigning in exchange for protesters to stop besieging Government House.

8:22 am: The head of the procession enters Phitsanulok Road.

8:19 am: ASTV reports quoting Cabinet Secretary-General Bowornsak Uwanno as saying that the venue of weekly Cabinet meeting will not be moved from Government House. Bowornsak has reached Government House.

8:14 am: Motorcyclists, who ride ahead of the front part of the procession as special team, reach Government House.

8:13 am: An ASTV reporter says the head of the procession is remotely seen approaching Phitsanulok Road.

8:11 am: Hundreds of people wait for the procession outside Government House, ASTV reports. They say they could not walk so prefer to join the rally by going to the Government House right away.

8:10 am: An army of reporters wait at Government House. Police step up security there. Barricades are set up in front of the gate near Phadung Krungkasem Bridge.

8:07 am: ASTV reports that Cabinet members may not come to Government House for the weekly meeting but would switch to the King Prachatipok Institute to use the live conference room there.

8:03 am: A boxer, Ratanapol Sorworapin, wears a head banner saying “Love Thaksin” jogs past the procession. He is asked to leave the area. He claims on Channel 3 that some protesters try to attack him.

7:59 am: ASTV quotes Sirichai Mai-ngam, secretary-general of the State Enterprise Relation Committee, as saying that at least 30,000 state firm employees join the protest.

7:57 am: The tail of procession reaches the Kok Wua intersection.

The procession is divided into ten parts led by ten amplifier trucks. Each part has no less than 10,000 marchers.

7:54 am: The tail of the procession, formed by state enterprise workers, moves out of Sanam Luang.

7:51 am: Demonstrators are seen on Channel 3’s live broadcast walking in good order and slowly. They smile while walking past the camera.

7:43 am: Police spokesman Lt Gen Achirawit Suphanphesat asks motorists on a live TV programme to avoid Phitsanulok Road as it will be closed to traffic because of the parade by protesters.

7:40 am: Thaksin is having breakfast at his hotel in Ubon Ratchathani. He cancels his scheduled visit to a morning fresh market.

7:37 am: The head of the procession pauses at Phan Fah Bridge to wait for the rest of the protesters. Protesters are asked to sit down while waiting.

7:32 am: Chidchai Vanasatidya, deputy prime minister and justice minister, tells a news programme live that the situation is still under control and tidy.

7:29 am: Farmers and provincial villagers, who form the second part of the procession, shout “Thaksin – get out” in rhythm while marching.

7:27 am: ASTV reports that the first part of the procession is expected to reach Government House in half an hour. It says many Government House officials have taken leave.

7:21 am: The first part of procession passes Pan Fah Bridge.

7:07 am: TVs show live broadcast that the protesters reach the Democracy Monument.

Read the whole fascinating thing here.

UPDATE: Now THIS particular story is pretty interesting! Apparently, some members of the Lee (as in Lee Kuan Yew) family politically control the entity, Temasek, that bought the Shin Satellite company from Thaksin for more than a billion dollars. Thais are talking of boycotting Singaporean goods over this. The Lees have a reputation for being squeaky clean. Now they are finding themselves the ‘enablers’ of Thaksin’s corruption that has brought unrest in the streets. It makes me wonder how much they are squirming over this, for they HATE unrest in the streets. Now they are in the middle of it. Keep an eye on this, there may be reverberations over this in Singapore to an extent we aren’t going to get in the Singapore papers, which are tightly controlled.