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New anti-Thaksin rally by PAD: Tourists should check political situation before travel to Thailand
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PAD armed with weapons at Bangkok demo last year. Violence did occur.
Things look set to heat up in Thailand again, with a large anti-Thaksin demonstration in Bangkok just being announced by the PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy). According to the Bangkok Post, the PAD demonstration will be held on Sunday November 15th starting at 4pm at Sanam Luang. Sanam Luang is the large field outside the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew so, tourists in Bangkok at this time would be well advised to stay away from the area.
For those who don't remember, the last time the PAD started to demonstrate in Bangkok, it culminated with several large rallies where violence erupted, plus the PAD take over of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok and the closing of Thailand's airports for over a week. More than 300,000 foreign tourists were stranded in Thailand, with no means of leaving the country. Even though this had an enormously damaging effect on the Thai economy, particularly the Thai tourist industry, the PAD has shown no remorse or ever apologized for their actions. This leaves many people believing it could easily happen again.
Sunday's demonstration by the PAD is in response to an interview with ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with The Times, a British newspaper. In it, it's alleged Thaksin made comments negative to the royal family of Thailand, although Thaksin has vehemently denied it and announced he will be filing a lawsuit against The Times newspaper for defamation.
The majority of Thais support Thaksin and want him back in office, with the minority being the Bangkok elite, who support the PAD. With money, of course, comes power and most poorer Thais believe the PAD is also controlling the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva, making him little more than a puppet Prime Minister. Evidence for this, in their eyes, is the fact that the government has gone after leaders of the 'Red Shirts' (the pro-Thaksin movement), who held massive demonstrations in Bangkok over this year's Songkran holiday but have yet to file charges against PAD members, even though they caused so much damage to Thailand's economy.
Tourists would do well to reassess or cancel plans to visit Thailand over the next few weeks as, hour by hour, the situation in Bangkok is getting uglier. In the past, when the PAD comes out in force, the 'Red Shirts' or the United Front For Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) usually follow behind. With political tensions running high, both the US and UK embassies in Bangkok are warning tourists to watch the situation carefully and stay away from any areas where violence may erupt.
This latest situation is going to further damage Thailand's already damaged tourist industry, with some estimates showing tourism is down 60% from last year. As tourism is a vital part of Thailand's economy, it does not bode well for the economic stability of the country or the stability of the present government.
SOURCES: Bangkok Post - PAD to rally Sunday
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