Get out Yingluck Shinawatra: Thailand protesters demand in mass rally

Zee Media Bureau Bangkok: A day after the main opposition party announced its decision to boycott the snap elections proposed for February 2, scores of Thai protesters gathered at key sites around the capital city of Bangkok, in a mass Sunday rally aimed to topple the Prime Minister Yinglyck Shinawatra’s government. Yingluck had dissolved the Parliament and proposed fresh elections in Feb after the persistent demand by the protesters led by Suthep Thaugsuban, a former Democrat member. However, the opposition Democrat Party, whose members had resigned en masse, announced that they will boycott the elections, which is presumed to bring to power Yingluck`s Puea Thai Party. Protesters doubt that the fresh elections would lead to the establishment of another Shinawatra regime. The opposition has previously boycotted elections in 2006, helping to create the political vacuum which heralded a military coup that ousted Thaksin. Analysts say the current boycott could engineer a similar outcome, but also carries major risk for the country`s oldest political party which could face a wipe out if the polls go ahead. Tens of thousands of protesters wanting to oust the Yingluck government, gathered at key sites around the capital, with thousands of them massed outside the PM’s house. The PM is however outside Bangkok. The protesters waving Thai flags, chanting anti-Yingluck slogans like `Get out Shinawatra` paralysed the city as the traffic was almost at standstill at three main intersections. The head of the Thai army has warned the country`s political divisions could "trigger a civil war". The opposition-backed protests in Bangkok have caused Thailand`s most serious political turmoil since Yingluck and Thaksin remain hugely popular in the north and northeast, but Suthep`s movement is backed by a powerful minority - Bangkok`s middle class, bureaucrats, conservative elites and top army generals.

With Agency Inputs