#Thailand #braces for more #conflict with #protesters ready to #disrupt #election Three #injured as #leader of #antigovernment #demonstrations #calls for #blockades, but without #interfering with #voters Reuters in Bangkok theguardian, Saturday 1 February 2014 10.48 GMT Jump to comments (…) A #ballotbox is prepared for the #disputed election on #Saturday. A ballot box is prepared for the disputed election on Saturday. Photograph: Sakchai Lalit/AP Three people were wounded by explosions and gunshots in Bangkok during a final day of pre-election demonstrations. The injuries occurred as anti-government protesters gathered in Bangkoks busy tourist area of Chinatown for the third and final day of marches in the capital denouncing Thailands general election on Sunday amid fears of violence erupting during the vote. The government is pushing ahead with the election, despite protesters threats to disrupt the vote and stop prime minister Yingluck Shinawatras Puea Thai Party returning to power. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has called for a peaceful blockade of roads in the city, but in the same breath vowed not to stop people voting. The people will not close the polling booths, but will demonstrate on the roads. They will demonstrate calmly, peacefully, without violence. If anyone comes to try to cause trouble, we absolutely will not argue with them. We wont do anything that will hinder people from going to vote, Suthep said on Friday night. In the south, for those who are surrounding the places where ballots are being collected, surround them as usual, but I ask that you sit there peacefully, dont back down, dont run away, and do not fight them, just pray. I believe that this poll will be voided for sure. The Nation newspaper said protesters were camping at post offices to block the delivery of ballot papers in the south, where support for Suthep is strongest. Many protesters in Bangkok wore red, the colour of Yinglucks red shirt supporters, in Saturdays march, after Suthep said no one had the right to hijack a colour. In honour of Chinese new year, lets wear red on our walk in Yaowaraj [Chinatown], said Suthep, wearing a festive red Chinese shirt. The United Nations in Thailand called for a peaceful vote. Ten people have died and at least 577 have been wounded in politically related violence since late November, according to the Erawan Medical Centre, which monitors Bangkok hospitals. The main opposition Democrat party, which backs the anti-government protests, is boycotting the election, which Yinglucks party is bound to win, though without enough members to achieve a quorum in parliament, guaranteeing further stalemate, at best, even if the election passes off peacefully. The protesters, camped out at major intersections in the city and blocking key arteries, forced polling stations in 49 of Bangkoks 50 districts to shut last weekend and voting went ahead in only three of 15 southern provinces. Some voters were physically pulled away from the polling booths. Suthep says he wants to rid the country of the Shinawatra familys political influence and accuses Yingluck, who swept to power in the last election in 2011, of being a puppet for her brother Thaksin, the former premier who was ousted in 2006 and now lives in exile. theguardian/world/2014/feb/01/thailand-protesters-bangkok-election?guni=Network%20front:network-front%20main-3%20Main%20trailblock:Network%20front%20-%20main%20trailblock:Position16
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 12:48:53 +0000