Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Thousands of "red shirt" supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra rallied in Bangkok today in their biggest protest since sparking violent clashes two months ago.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), better known as the "red shirts", gathered in the capital to demand that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolves parliament and calls an election.