Red shirt protesters call time out for annual water festival

Red Shirt protesters took a break from the long-running rallies and demonstrations for the start of the Thai New Year holiday, "Songkran".

Just days ago Bangkok's popular tourist area the Khao San Road was the scene of some of the bloodiest clashes between the army and protesters. Now it was locals and tourists who fought good-natured battles throughout the day with water pistols.

Throughout the country people spend the three day festival trying to soak each other with water to mark the new lunar year in Thailand.

The celebrations come as Thailand's coalition government teetered after the Election Commission ordered the ruling party be dissolved for allegedly concealing campaign donations. A final decision on whether the Democrat Party should be dissolved, however, rests with the Constitutional Court. No date has been set to hear the case.

The standoff between the Red Shirts and the government turned deadly on when troops tried to drive away a large group of protesters, resulting in clashes that left 21 people dead, Thailand's worst political violence in nearly two decades.

Denchai Kanuson, Red Shirt protester:

"Seeing fellow Red Shirts die like that has made me feel that it wouldn't be fun going back to celebrate Songkran at home. I would rather stay to fight for democracy. We have to defeat this evil government. We have to make the world understand justice, and the double standards here."

The current Thai Government suffered another blow when army chief General told reporters that dissolving Parliament and calling new elections might resolve the country's political crisis.

The army chief was until now seen as a staunch backer of prime minister Abhisit.

The apparent about-face puts Abhisit under renewed pressure given that the army is an influential force in the country's politics - and has not hesitated to stage coups during previous bouts of political instability.

Category:

News & Politics

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• annual
• water
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[asdangboonto]

@aibawdphumipon เก่งแต่หน้าจอ มาบ่นเหี้ยอะไร

[aibawdphumipon]

ไอ้เย็ดแม่ลูกกะหรี่ภูมิพลสันดา­นมันเป็นหมาลอบกัดแต่ตัวมันไม่ม­ีปัญญาเพราะไอ้ชาติหมาเหี้ยบอดภ­ูมิพลแม่งจบแค่ม.๖แต่ทําตัวเป็น­ผู้ตรัสรู้เก่งฉกาจทุกอย่างไอ้บ­อดอัปรีย์ภูมิพลเป็นผู้บงการฆ่า­สังหารคนเสื้อแดงพวกกรูจะเอาไอ้­เหี้ยสั่งฆ่าขึ้นศาลโลกมึงก็คอย­ดูก็แล้วกันส่วนลูหลานมึงก็จะถู­กเก็บให้สิ้นโครตจักรีกาฝากจัลไ­รอัปรีย์เย็ดแม่มึง

[usergently]

People are rising up more and more all over the world. I predict lot's of politicians scumbags running for the woods with their tails between their ass.