Thailand faces a fresh wave of political unrest

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BANGKOK, Dec 28 (AFP): Thailand faced a fresh wave of political unrest today (Sunday) as supporters of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra prepared to rally against the new prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
The protests are Abhisit's first major challenge since he came to power on December 15, two weeks after a court disbanded the pro-Thaksin former ruling party following months of political turmoil in the kingdom.
Thousands of police were being deployed in central Bangkok, where the protesters are set to gather on Sunday before moving to parliament, where Abhisit will deliver his first policy statement Monday and Tuesday.
"Our demand is for Abhisit to dissolve parliament because he has no legitimacy," said Jatuporn Prompan, a core leader of the pro-Thaksin movement, who are known as the "red shirts" because of their trademark clothes.
The rally will start at 0800 GMT in central Sanam Luang park, Jatuporn told AFP. Protest leaders said they would announce the timing of the move to parliament on stage during the demonstration, he said.
"We still have no conclusion concerning a phone-in by Thaksin," Jatuporn added, referring to earlier speculation of a telephone address by the ex-prime minister, who was toppled in a military coup in 2006.
British-born Abhisit told AFP in an interview on Friday that he hoped to be able to deliver his policy statement uninterrupted by the protests, and urged Thaksin against inciting further unrest in Thailand.