Supporters of Thailand’s beleaguered government yesterday gathered on the outskirts of Bangkok, saying they were determined to safeguard democracy as rival anti-government protesters pressed their campaign in the city.
Thailand’s politicians have been unable to forge a compromise over a nearly decade-long split between the royalist establishment and a populist former telecommunications tycoon, whose sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted as prime minister on Wednesday.
This is a dictatorship that masquerades a democracy
Her sacking by the Constitutional Court for nepotism followed six months of sometimes violent anti-government protests that have unnerved investors, frightened away tourists and dented growth in Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.
Yingluck’s supporters have derided her removal as a “judicial coup”. Her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted in a military coup in 2006.
“This is a dictatorship that masquerades as a democracy,” Sombat Thammasuk, 44, a Red Shirt supporter of Thaksin and Yingluck, said at the rally.
A government security official said about 50,000 people had joined the rally and more were expected. They gathered under a sweltering sun and many said they were prepared to stay for days to press for an election.
“Although it is hot out here our anger is hotter, we are boiling with anger. I am ready to give this fight everything I’ve got,” said Sombat
A day after Yingluck was thrown out of office she was indicted by an anti-corruption agency for negligence over a rice subsidy scheme that ran up huge losses. The upper house Senate is expected to impeach her for that, which would result in a five-year ban from politics.
But Yingluck’s Puea Thai party still runs a caretaker government and is hoping to organise a July 20 election that it would probably win.
Anti-government protesters want the government out, the election postponed and reforms to end Thaksin’s influence.