Thai protesters gather for Thaksin coup rally

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BANGKOK, Sept 19 (AFP): Thousands of red-shirted protesters rallied in Bangkok amid tight security Saturday to mark the third anniversary of a military coup against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The September 19, 2006 putsch plunged the kingdom into three years of political turmoil which shows little sign of ending, with supporters of the exiled Thaksin leading the latest round of protest and counter-protest.
The government has imposed a draconian internal security law in the centre of the capital for the latest demonstrations and deployed more than 9,000 soldiers and police to guard key locations.
The "Red Shirt" movement says it wants current prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign and hold elections, raising concerns of a repeat of massive anti-government riots in April that left two people dead.