Anti-government protesters have vowed to expand their rally venue at Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue to prepare for a bigger demonstration on Sunday.
An anti-government protester carries her pet dog on her back as she arrives at the Democracy Monumenton Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue yesterday. The Ratchadamnoenprotest, led by a group of former and current Democrat MPs, enters its 18th day today. THITIWANNAMONTHA
The expansion includes the installation of more loudspeakers and video screens on an extended stretch of the road in anticipation that more people will join the rally at Democracy Monument, protest spokesman Ekkanat Phromphan said yesterday.
Ex-Democrat MP and protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban says the target is to raise the number of demonstrators to 1 million in his campaign to eliminate the so-called "Thaksin regime" from Thailand. By Thaksin regime, Mr Suthep and the anti-government protesters refer to the influence of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Thai politics.
Mr Ekkanat said, however, that Sunday will not be the last day of the demonstration. He said it will be "just the start" of a huge rally to overthrow the government. City police have expressed concern about Sunday's rally.
They said they have received an intelligence report that some people might try to instigate violence.
Deputy city police chief Adul Narongsak called on people to avoid the rally at Ratchadamnoen Avenue for their own safety. He said a policeman was wounded on Wednesday in an explosion believed to be from a home-made bomb near the rally site of the Network for Students and People for the Reform of Thailand. The blast prompted police to tighten security. The number of checkpoints has been raised from 12 to 23 to stop protesters carrying weapons.
On Monday, Sgt Thanin Khamsuphap, a soldier attached to the army's 1st Division, was arrested after he was found carrying a gun into a rally venue near Phan Phiphop intersection.