THAILAND: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pushes ahead with February 2nd election, as protesters march to government offices to demand their closure as part of their campaign to "shutdown" Bangkok and topple the government

Record ID: 230242

  • Title: THAILAND: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pushes ahead with February 2nd election, as protesters march to government offices to demand their closure as part of their campaign to "shutdown" Bangkok and topple the government
  • Date: 16th January 2014
  • Summary: NONTHABURI PROVINCE, THAILAND (JANUARY 16, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF DEFENCE SECRETARIAT OFFICE THAI PRIME MINISTER YINGLUCK SHINAWATRA WALKING INTO THE BUILDING VARIOUS OF OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (English) THAI PRIME MINISTER YINGLUCK SHINAWATRA SAYING "I think the first thing is I think the people would like me to continue the work. So that's why we are in decision that Puea Thai party needs me to lead the election. Anyway the election will be the final judge by the people of Thailand, the majority that the people will need Puea Thai to continue the work of the government or will be other party. So I think this is the best way to respect the vote of majority of the people." YINGLUCK AND OFFICIALS WALKING TO THE CENTRE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF PEACE AND ORDER (CAPO) SITUATION ROOM OFFICIALS IN CAPO SITUATION ROOM VARIOUS OF MEETING YINGLUCK TALKING TO OFFICIALS BANGKOK, THAILAND (JANUARY 16, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS LEAVING LUMPINI PARK, MARCHING TOWARDS REVENUE OFFICE VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS AT PATHUMWAN INTERSECTION BEFORE MARCHING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING ON STREET PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS MOCKING PRIME MINISTER YINGLUCK SHINAWATRA PROTESTERS MARCHING PROTESTERS MARCHING PAST ELECTION BANNER SECURITY GUARD OF OFFICE OF REVENUE PUTTING CHAIN OVER GATE PEOPLE INSIDE OFFICE OF REVENUE SECURITY GUARD LOCKING GATE FROM INSIDE SIGN AT GATE (Thai) READING: "TEMPORARILY CLOSED" VARIOUS OF REVENUE OFFICIALS LEAVING BUILDING WOMAN CLIMBING OVER FENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) OFFICIAL OF REVENUE OFFICE WORAWAT PINYO SAYING: "There is no one working inside at the moment. The people you see walking in the building, they live behind this building. There are apartments behind the building." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERING OUTSIDE REVENUE OFFICE
  • Embargoed: 31st January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACZJ44MK0APPJ8YLK6A4E7WQNR
  • Story Text: Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she would push ahead with elections as protesters, trying to paralyse ministries to force the government to resign, targeted revenue offices on Thursday (January 16).
    Yingluck dissolved parliament in December in an attempt to end the protests and set an election for Feb. 2.
    On Wednesday (January 15) she invited protest leaders and political parties to discuss a proposal to push back the election date, but her opponents snubbed her invitation.
    After the meeting, the government said the poll would go ahead as scheduled and officials said the protests were losing momentum.
    Yingluck said despite thousands on the street she felt the majority wanted her to continue to work.

    "I think the first thing is I think the people would like me to continue the work. So that's why we are in decision that Puea Thai party needs me to lead the election. Anyway, the election will be the final judge by the people of Thailand, the majority that the people will need Puea Thai to continue the work of the government or will be other party. So I think this is the best way to respect the vote of majority of the people," she told reporters.
    The unrest, which flared in November and escalated this week when demonstrators led by former opposition politician Suthep Thaugsuban occupied main intersections of the capital, Bangkok, is the latest chapter in an eight-year conflict.
    The political fault line pits the Bangkok-based middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former premier ousted by the army in 2006 who is seen as the power behind her government.
    Many ministries and state agencies have been closed to avoid confrontation with demonstrators, but the government says operations and services are being maintained by civil servants working at home or from back-up offices.
    Protesters set off from their camps early on Thursday and marched towards their nearest revenue office to demand it close.
    One revenue office official said no one was working in the building.

    "There is no one working inside at the moment. The people you see walking in the building, they live behind this building. There are apartments behind the building," Worawat Pinyo said.
    Some hardline activists threatened to blockade the stock exchange and an air traffic control facility on Wednesday if Yingluck had not stepped down by 8 p.m. (1300 GMT) but they made no move to do that.
    The number of people camping out overnight at some of the seven big intersections targeted by Suthep's group appears to have dropped and attempts to block traffic along other roads have become half-hearted.
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