Anti-government protests stop "out of respect for the crown"
Since yesterday, more than 40,000 people have blocked the capital's main arteries, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. "I am ready to step down temporarily," he said. "But I am also prepared to declare a state of emergency."
Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) Protests against Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, organized by opposition parties and Buddhist monks of the "Dharma Army", have been suspended "out of respect for the crown". More than 40,000 people have been camped near Thaksin's home in Bangkok since yesterday, calling for his "immediate resignation": among them are many public officials protesting against the privatization of state enterprises proposed by Thai Rak Thai, the party in government run by Shinawatra.
"The protest will continue until Thaksin has resigned," protest organiser Suriyasai Takasila said. "It will be suspended only this afternoon, to allow the prince to go ahead with his trip." Protesters have in fact blocked all the main arteries of the capital and are threatening to prevent public officials from entering their offices.
As for the prime minister, he has warned that "a national emergency decree has been signed and is only waiting for my approval. If the protests become violent, I will declare a state of crisis." Shinawatra added that he wanted to evaluate the possibility of stepping down temporarily, so the situation would not get out of hand. "I am evaluating all solutions," he told the press. "But I have not yet decided what to do. I will take the best decision."
Since 23 January, an unprecedented wave of protests against the head of the government has been under way, sparked by the sale of his family's shares in Shin Corp a telecommunications giant set up by Thaksin before he joined politics to Temasek, a Singapore government holding. The opposition accused him of using his position to get "enormous advantages" from this transfer, and of including shares of state-owned enterprises in the deal, agencies he is now trying to privatize to conceal their new management.
In a bid to defuse the crisis, the premier, elected in 2001 and triumphantly re-elected in 2005, dissolved parliament on 24 February and called legislative elections on 2 April, which the opposition has decided to boycott.
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