‘Red Shirts’ amass at Bangkok stadium

BANGKOK, November 24 (TNA) - Members of Thailand’s pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as ‘Red Shirts’ group, will hold a demonstration at a Bangkok sports stadium Sunday to protect the elected coalition government and the parliament, said Deputy Commerce Minister Nuttawut Saikuar. UDD members will gather at the Ratchamangkala Stadium on the outskirts of Bangkok and will not move elsewhere, said Mr. Nuttawut, who is also a staunch ‘Red Shirt’ leader. Some people are trying to stir violence to induce UDD protestors to clash with anti-government rallies in order to make the situation uncontrollable by the government, he said. If any violence takes place, it would be staged by a third party or ill-intentioned people, Mr. Nuttawut said. Asked how long the UDD demonstration would last, he said it depends on the situation. Two anti-government protest groups have been holding a marathon rally on Ratchadamnoen Avenue while a third group is holding a rally in nearby Nang Loeng area, near the Government House. All the three groups have now joined hands and threatened to march on 12 Bangkok streets Monday in an attempt to oust the government of Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. (TNA)