Thai police brace for major anti-government rally

BANGKOK-Thai police are braced for a major anti-government demonstration on Tuesday, with tens of thousands expected to take to the streets and speculation protesters may try to occupy the prime minister's compound.The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a motley group of royalists and pro-military businessmen, is hoping to draw "hundreds of thousands" of people to the protest, although the police say they are expecting up to 35,000.A June 20 march on Government House drew about 25,000 people accusing the government of being an illegitimate proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup after a year of PAD protests."It will be bigger than before, probably the biggest one, but the street can hold up to 35,000," national police spokesman Surapol Thuanthong told reporters on Monday.Police would not clash with the demonstrators but would be backed up by fire trucks and ambulances, he said. He did not say how many riot police would be deployed.Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said in a televised speech he was not threatened by the rally and his cabinet would meet as usual on Tuesday."If they break any law, they will be dealt with accordingly," Samak said.Reporters from domestic television stations said the PAD had told them to position their cameras and trucks inside the Government House compound, suggesting protesters might try to scale its wrought-iron fence.
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