Bangkok - Tens of thousands of Thais sporting red shirts
gathered Saturday at the Suphachalasai Stadium in Bangkok to show their
support for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who
planned to address the rally by teleconference.
About 40,000 Thaksin followers had gathered at the stadium by
Saturday evening to witness a phone-in from their revered leader, from
'a country close by,' according to organizers.
'I love Thaksin,' said Plasert Thongsana, 58, from Lat Krabang
district in Bangkok. 'Thaksin's policies really helped the grass
roots,' he added of Thaksin's well-known populist policies that won him
a huge backing among Thailand's urban and rural poor.
Thaksin, who has been living in self-exile since August and faces a
two-year jail term in Thailand for abuse of power when he was premier
in 2003, addressed a similar audience on November 13 of an estimated
60,000 followers.
On that occasion Thaksin said his return to Thailand would depend on
the leniency of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej 'or the power of the
people.'
The fugitive former leader has since made it clear that he wishes to
return to Thai politics, which he has in fact never left.
On Saturday, Thaksin was expected to use his to try to influence the
outcome of the scheduled parliament session on Monday to vote in a new
prime minister.
The leading candidate for the premiership is Democrat Party chief
Abhisit Vejjajiva, who over the past week mustered the support of four
smaller parties and a breakaway faction of Thaksin's former People
Power Party to secure enough votes to lead a new coalition government.
But nothing is certain until the votes are counted Monday.
Members of parliament have been offered up to 50 million baht (1.5
million dollars) to switch over to Thaksin's camp, close aides of his
confirmed.
Thaksin's ex-wife, Pojaman, returned to Thailand in early December
to conduct the business side of his political operation.
Thaksin, who was prime minister between 2001 to 2006, secured
himself a mass following among Thailand's rural poor, especially in the
impoverished north-eastern provinces - where half the population lives
- by implementing populist policies such as cheap health care and
distributing district level development funds.
In his speech to followers on Saturday, scheduled to start at 8:00
pm, Thaksin was expected to appeal to those constituents to pressure
their elected MPs to vote against Abhisit, a Thaksin aide said.
He was also likely to name his political enemies, said Veera
Musigapomg, one of the organizers of the event.
While the Thai business community has come out in favour of a
coalition government under Abhisit, there are fears that another
government under a Thaksin 'proxy' will bring the People's Alliance for
Democracy (PAD) back to the streets.
The PAD, a staunchly anti-Thaksin movement, seized Bangkok's two
airports between November 26 to December 3, in their efforts to bring
down the previous government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat,
Thaksin's brother-in-law.
They declared victory when the Constitution Court dissolved the pro-
Thaksin People Power Party for committing election fraud in the
December 23, 2007 polls, and banned its executives, including Somchai,
from holding office.
The PAD, which is known to enjoy the support of Thailand's political
elite and many members of the middle class, has vowed to return to the
streets if another pro-Thaksin government comes to power after Monday.
The one-week closure of Bangkok's two airports has lost Thailand's
incalculable losses in terms of exports and tourism, and has turned
many against the movement.
'I think the PAD's closure of the airports will make it very hard
for me to find a job next year,' said Patrichapit Panpaeng, 19, a hotel
management student who had joined the red-shirt rally.
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