40,000 Rally Against Thai Prime Minister
The Bangkok rally against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra drew many who said Thaksin was using the government to benefit his children.
(By Chaiwat Subprasom -- Reuters)
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Sunday, February 5, 2006
BANGKOK, Feb. 4 -- About 40,000 people attended the largest demonstration against the Thai government in 14 years on Saturday, and a former ally called for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign.
Many of the protesters said they gathered to show their disapproval of the tax-free, $1.9 billion sale by Thaksin's children of Shin Corp., the telecom firm Thaksin founded. "He said the economy was doing well, but it was the economy of his cronies," shouted media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkula, a friend-turned-foe who was wearing a headband saying "Salvage the Country."
"Over the past five years, Thaksin has run the country just to benefit his listed firms' value," said Sondhi, who began his campaign to oust the prime minister last September after his talk show was axed from state television.
Thaksin said the sale of Shin Corp. to the Singapore state investment firm Temasek was made in part to end such accusations, which he has denied consistently. He swore to stay on.
"I won't give up," Thaksin, who has won two general elections by landslides, told the nation in his weekly radio address before the rally started. "Most importantly, I won't let down those who have voted for me and have so much faith in me."
Thaksin said Shin Corp. stock rose in line with the main Stock Exchange of Thailand index in the five years he has been in power, while shares in other top firms outperformed the index as much as fourfold.
He said King Bhumibol Adulyadej -- who has no formal power under Thailand's constitutional monarchy but is thoroughly revered -- was the only person he would heed.
"If his majesty whispers to me and says, 'Thaksin, you should go,' I will immediately pay respect to his feet and quit."
He pleaded with supporters to stay away from the rally to avoid any violence. The rally drew far fewer people than Sondhi had hoped for. There were no reports of clashes.
Sondhi had hoped the furor over the Shin Corp. sale would drive the rally attendance over 100,000. Police said around 40,000 turned up.
It was the biggest protest since May 1992, when demonstrators protested against the military junta of Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon. Dozens of people were killed in a week of clashes with soldiers.
On Saturday, at least 3,000 police were deployed to maintain order at the Royal Plaza, a ceremonial square one block away from Thaksin's office at Government House.
