THAILAND: Thousands of anti-government protesters vow to continue their airport sit-in and urge Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to quit ahead of court case

Record ID: 783222

  • Title: THAILAND: Thousands of anti-government protesters vow to continue their airport sit-in and urge Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to quit ahead of court case
  • Date: 2nd December 2008
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (DECEMBER 2, 2008) (REUTERS) SUNRISE AT SUVARNABHUMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
  • Embargoed: 17th December 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA79RFIP7ZMB1TCH3R85ZI3UKF6
  • Story Text: Thousands of anti-government protesters vow to continue their airport sit-in and urge Prime Minister Somchai to quit ahead of a vote fraud case that could deal a crippling blow to the government.
    Thousands of protesters vowed to continue their airport sit-in on Tuesday (December 2) to topple the government under Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat ahead of a vote fraud case that could deal a crippling blow to the government.
    The demonstrators led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have occupied Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Muang domestic airport for the eighth day, leaving thousands of tourists stranded as the airports were forced to close.
    The Constitutional Court has moved with uncharacteristic speed to wrap up the case that could dissolve the elected government. Its ruling could come as early as Wednesday (December 3).
    The PAD protesters hope the court ruling could remove Somchai from a premier.
    "If Somchai is found guilty as the court ruled, he should quit," said protester Napatchyasorn Wisetchirakarn.
    The court is widely expected to order the disbanding of Somchai's People Power Party (PPP) and two coalition partners.
    If it does, Somchai and other leaders would be barred from politics and many cabinet ministers would have to step down. The PPP's dissolution, however, will not necessarily mean a snap election as many MPs will simply switch to a new "shell" party.
    The yellow-shirted demonstrators are trying to topple Somchai, whom they accuse of being a pawn for his brother-in-law, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup and is now in exile.
    Somchai insisted on Monday he would not go.
    "He is not worthy of the trust from the people. He should quit," said protester Wanchalerm Nasongkla.
    The PAD protesters were due to end a three-month occupation of the prime minister's office on Tuesday to consolidate their grip on the international airport, which has been blockaded for a week, adding to the pain of a tourist-export-dependent economy already suffering from the global financial crisis.
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