Protests: ?Final battle? starts tomorrow

Rally leader Suthep Thuagsuban has promised a ?final battle? tomorrow. Here are the whats, wheres and whys.

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Rally leader Suthep Thuagsuban outlines his final plans to protesters at the Government Complex in Chaengwattana. KITJA APICHONROJAREK

15:00

Here is more on who will take part in the marches tomorrow:

More than 50 groups of anti-government protesters will move from various starting points on different routes to Government House for a mass rally for the "final battle" tomorrow, People's Democratic Reform Committee spokesman Akanat Prompan announced on Sunday.

Of the 50 or more groups, nine would be directed by the PDRC - two from the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya river and seven from the Bangkok side. All columns, except the one led by PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban, would start to move at 9.39am. The one led by Mr Suthep will take off from the Chaeng Wattana government offices complex at 8.29am.

Apart from those of the PDRC, others including those of the State Enterprises Workers Relations Confederation and business groups will also join the rally. They will march on different routes to the same destination: Government House.

Protests: “Final battle” starts tomorrow

Rally leader Suthep Thuagsuban has called on protesters nationwide to march on government agencies tomorrow to "take people's power back" from what he says is the "Thaksin regime", a reference to the continued political influence of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister Yingluck's brother.

He called on supporters living outside the capital to lay siege to provincial halls and block public servants from going to work.

In Bangkok, he is rallying all his supporters for a march on Government House. Anti-government protesters living on the Thon Buri side of the city are being urged to meet at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thon Buri or at Wong Wian Yai to join the march.

Protest leaders have described Monday's marches as the "final battle" against the Yingluck Shinawatra government. Tomorrow, starting at 9.39am, all protesters will rally in front of Government House in an attempt to seize power from Ms Yingluck, said People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) spokesman Akanat Promphan, , a stepson of protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban.

Mr Akanat said yesterday, protest leaders would be willing to end their rally if only a small number of people turn out.

Mr Akanat said he believed that if there is a large turnout, there will be a change in government. But if the rally failed to draw enough supporters, PDRC leaders would surrender to police to fight insurrection charges against them in court, he added.

Those empty rice bags became a playground for children at the Ratchadamnoen protest site yesterday, but they can also be dampened and used to cover tear gas canisters to prevent the gas from spreading. THANARAK KHOONTON

Meanwhile, several leading universities in the capital are rallying students and alumni to support Mr Suthep's "final battle" push.

Members of the Chulalongkorn community are calling on faculty members, students and alumni to meet on campus tomorrow morning before marching to Government House.

They urged participants to wear pink, the university's colour.

The Thammasat University community is also scheduled to gather at its Tha Prachan campus before marching to the Ratchadamnoen protest site. All participants have been advised to bring food, water and tear gas protection gear.

The business community in Silom, Asok, and Phetchaburi has also said it will join the Srinakharinwirot University community in an anti-government march tomorrow.

Adapted from stories by Post Reporters

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