Second mass anti-Thaksin rally ends peacefully

A mass rally against Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his administration at the Royal Plaza here, the second of its kind, ended peacefully after midnight Saturday, with demonstrators setting Feb. 26 for their next gathering.

The demonstrators, led by a civic group called the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), acknowledged before dispersing that their next gathering would be held at Sanam Luang in Bangkok.

The government earlier barred the second mass rally at the Royal Plaza, saying the area is in the compound of two Royal Palace -- the Dusit and Amporn Palaces-- but later allowed the rally on the condition that the organizer sought permission from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Metropolitan Police Division, after realizing that other public places which could be used for the venue of the demonstration are being occupied for events and exhibitions marking the Makha Bucha Day.

The organizer of the rally, however, failed to meet the legal requirment and was fined by metropolitan police for disturbing other people's rights by using loud speakers and causing traffic problems when staging the demonstration.

"The law is to be enforced now -- compromisingly -- after last Saturday's rally caused traffic congestion and disturbing noises in the area," Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying after the demonstration began in late afternoon.

He referred to the first mass rally, led by local media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, on Feb. 4.

Sondhi, who was on stage from time to time at the second rally, announced earlier that he would be only "a participant" in this Saturday's demonstration.

He, nonetheless, invited the demonstrators to meet again in the next rally planned on Feb. 26 at Sanam Luang.

On Saturday morning, prime minister Thaksin asked his assister to keep their duty at home, don't move to rally place to prevent clashes with the rally mass.

Source: Xinhua