THAILAND: Leaders of a campaign to oust Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra cut short their protest in Bangkok yesterday amid signs of a public wearying of weeks of street demonstrations.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (Pad) shifted to the nearby Election Commission after its Wednesday night rally drew 50,000 people to Siam Paragon shopping mall.
It demanded the commission disqualify Mr Thaksin from the snap April 2nd election he called to try to end the political crisis, saying he broke campaign rules by promising development projects and handing out money to voters in return for their support. He denies the allegation.
The Pad had hoped its campaign and a boycott by the three main opposition parties would stop the election. But it now looks certain to go ahead, although the boycott means its result is unlikely to meet a constitutional requirement that all 500 parliamentary seats be filled for a new government to form.
Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the only certain outcome was a political mess that could embroil the Constitutional Court.