Bangkok extends Internal Security Act

As tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Thai capital on Saturday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva once again offered to enter negotiations. "I’ve never rejected all their proposals. If they are really looking to dissolve parliament in a way that would move the country forward, I’m open to discussions," he said.

However, he added that the ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra should not be the subject of any talks. He also said that elections had to be prepared with a lot of care and calm and should take place under acceptable conditions.

On Monday, he sent two members of his cabinet to meet members of Thailand’s Human Rights Commission and representatives from the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to set conditions for talks.

Government extends controversial Internal Security Act

The United Front for Democracy and against Dictatorship (UDD) is made up mainly of Thaksin supporters. Until now, they have rejected Abhisit’s offers of talks and demanded that he call elections.

They have also asked the government to lift the stringent Internal Security Act that allows checkpoints to be set up and curfews to be imposed.

On Monday, however, the government extended the act and controversially announced that soldiers at checkpoints and other sensitive locations would be armed.

Thaksin supporters would most likely win any elections

It is widely thought that if elections were called today, Thaksin Shinawatra’s camp would win. He is currently in self-imposed exile after having been sentenced to two years in jail on corruption charges.

However, he remains extremely popular in rural Thailand, especially in the north and northeast. The "Red Shirts" on the weekend thought they were also beginning to mobilize support among the urban population.

"It was a successful protest. It proved that we are demonstrating peacefully. Everyone in Bangkok knows that we’re not making trouble,” one protester said. Another agreed: "There were so many of us on Saturday and we got so much support from the public in Bangkok. Why can’t they just dissolve parliament? Why is the prime minister so stubborn?"

The Red Shirts have announced that they will carry on their protests until their demands are met. They have announced that they will "shut down" the capital next Saturday, as well as stage rallies in provincial halls across Thailand.

Author: Anne Thomas
Editor: Thomas Baerthlein