Bangkok shutdown practice
Protesters are marching in an 8km loop around the Democracy Monument today as a warmup for the planned January shutdown of the city. We'll be watching.
Protesters are marching in an 8km loop around the Democracy Monument today as a warmup for the planned January shutdown of the city. We'll be watching.
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Protesters were busy taking photos of their Democracy Monument site yesterday after Suthep Thuangsuban announced it would be disassembled on January 13, the day of the planned shutdown of the capital. KITJA APICHONROJAREK
A colourful sea of protesters accompany Suthep Thuagsuban on a 7.5km march through areas surrounding Democracy Monument. APICHART JINAKUL
Latest: For a good summary of the day's event, click here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/388015/suthep-heads-pdrc-warm-up-march
17:30
Chitpas Bhirombhakdi (left) has just posted that the marchers have now safely returned to Ratchadamnoen. Only eight days left there, she says, before the big city shutdown begins. Above photo from her Facebook page.
15:00
Suthep Thuagsuban and a very large group of marchers have reached Worachak intersection and will shortly be returning to their Ratchadamnoen march.
12:30
The marchers still going non-stop, turning off Maha Chai road to Boripat Road on on to Chalerm Krung. They are to stop, appropriately enough, at the July 22 circle in Yaowarat, Chinatown, to eat lunch. Once again a large crowd is reported to be waiting there.
10:55
The main group of marchers has just reached Pak Khlong Talad where a large crowd is waiting. Memorial Bridge (Saphan Phut) is next.
10:00
The march has begun, a bit earlier than the scheduled 10am start. Marchers, led by Suthep Thuagsuban, are headed for Memorial bridge. Typically, the march will grow in size as people waiting along the route join in.
First stage of shut Bangkok set for Sunday
POST TODAY
Anti-government protesters will begin the first part of their "Bangkok Shutdown" campaign Sunday, as the government threatens strict enforcement of security measures to keep peace and order.
The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) will stage a march in downtown Bangkok as a warm-up for its planned shutdown of the capital on Jan 13.
Marches will also take place on Tuesday and Thursday but only in daytime daylight hours because of safety concerns, PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan said.
Mr Akanat said the marches were aimed at encouraging people to join the Jan 13 event which would put the "ultimate pressure" on caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her government to step down.
On Sunday, the demonstrators will start off at 10am and move in an 8km loop starting from Democracy Monument to the Memorial Bridge, Phahurat, Yaowarat, Worachak and back to their main Ratchadamnoen base.
On Jan 13, Mr Akanat said, six intersections would become new main rally sites after the PDRC disassembled the Ratchadamnoen rally site in the morning of that day.
The areas are the Lumpini, Pathumwan, Ratchaprasong, Asok, Victory Monument, and Lat Phrao intersections.
More rally sites will be disclosed later.
Rally leaders Suthep Thaugsuban (left) and Sathit Wongnongtoei seem unconcerned about the huge police force to be deployed to prevent their city shutdown from succeeding. SEKSAN ROJJANAMETAKUL
On Saturday, the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (Capo) slammed the PDRC's city shutdown plan.
Caretaker Foreign Minister and Capo chief Surapong Tovichakchaikul said that security authorities had been ordered to prepare for the Jan 13 rally and that they would "measure up" to the situation.
Internal Security Operations Command spokesman Col Banphot Phunphian earlier said Capo had instructed the agency to assess the requirements of police and military forces to cope with the Jan 13 shutdown.
"In the initial stage, 20,000 policemen and 20 military companies will be mobilised in the capital," he said.
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