Former Thai PM's supporters plan series of rallies

RED-SHIRTED supporters of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra are planning a salvo of rallies tomorrow, the latest sign that the banished ex-leader still wields considerable political clout and that Thailand’s long-running political crisis remains unresolved.

The rallies serve as a warning of the potential for further instability in Thailand, after violent anti-government riots brought the capital to a standstill in April, and a sign that Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, has not managed to overcome Thailand’s deep political divisions.

The government, fighting to keep recession at bay in the southeast Asian economy and fearful of the impact of more instability on the country’s already tarnished image among tourists and investors, is keen to keep a lid on the meetings’ impact.

Bangkok is planning to use a tough internal security law to prevent the “Red Shirts” from gathering on Sunday afternoon at the Royal Plaza, their scheduled venue in the heart of the capital.

The protesters want Mr Abhisit to dissolve parliament and call an election.

The government is keen to avoid a repeat of the situation in April when thousands of “Red Shirts” surrounded government house and then went on a rampage through the capital.

Last week, Mr Thaksin’s supporters gathered again at a parade ground in Bangkok to hand in a three-million-name petition seeking a royal pardon for their leader.

The billionaire Mr Thaksin was toppled three years ago following protests by the rival, royalist “Yellow Shirt” movement. Last year he fled the country to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption.

However, few believed that the army’s intervention in crushing demonstrations by red-shirted followers of Mr Thaksin had ended the billionaire industrialist’s dreams of a return to his home country.

While people initially backed Mr Abhisit, a 45-year-old, British-born, Oxford-educated economist after he became Thailand’s third prime minister in four months in December, he is seen as being out of touch with the majority rural poor, Mr Thaksin’s traditional power base.

Separately, a Thai court yesterday sentenced a supporter of Mr Thaksin, Darunee Charnchoengsilpakul, to 18 years in prison for lèse-majesté, the latest in a series of convictions for insulting the monarchy that critics say are stifling freedom of speech.

Ms Darunee (46), also known as “Da Torpedo”, was arrested in July last year after delivering an exceptionally strong speech about the 2006 coup that ousted Mr Thaksin.

Lèse-majesté is a very serious offence in Thailand, where many people regard 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej as semi-divine and above politics.