'Red Sunday' Gathering at Lumpini Park

Red shirts plan to test the government's emergency decree in Bangkok again late today when hundreds are expected to gather at Lumpini Park to do "protest aerobic dance exercises".

Key red-shirt member Sombat Boon-ngam-anong - who made headlines by leading a group tying red ribbons at the Rajprasong intersection twice after he was released from two weeks of detention under the emergency decree - told The Nation yesterday he was "con?fused" as to how doing aerobic dances with red-shirt music could violate the decree, which forbids political gatherings of more than five persons.

"I'm still baffled how we can break the law," said Sombat, who added that he and his group was prepared to face possible arrest.

He expected up to 1,000 red shirts to take part in the Lumpini event.

"A lot of people will definitely come to take part," he said, of the event, which he said was a symbolic protest. He said the government lost political legitimacy after its bloody handling of red-shirt protesters in April and May, which led to 90 deaths and more than 1,800 injured on both sides.

The red shirts are due to gather around the Clock Tower inside the park at 5pm. The park is traditionally popular for aerobic dances, though today's event will probably be the first aerobics protest.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• 'Red
• Sunday'
• Gathering
• at
• Lumpini
• Park