Thai protesters demand elections

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8406671.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Thousands of supporters of deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra have held a rally in the capital, Bangkok, calling for fresh elections.

Mr Thaksin addressed them by video-link, describing democracy in Thailand as weak and unstable.

His supporters are also calling for the return of the Thai constitution that existed before a military coup three years ago.

Mr Thaksin was ousted in the coup and has been living in exile ever since.

In his absence, he has been sentenced to a two-year jail term in a conflict of interest case.

Police said up to 20,000 people attended the rally by red-shirted supporters of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) at Bangkok's Democracy Monument.

Thursday is a public holiday in Thailand to mark Constitution Day.

"In Thailand, democracy is weakened and politics is unstable," said Mr Thaksin, speaking from an undisclosed location.

"Return democracy, justice and prosperity to the people," he added.

King honoured

Mr Thaksin told supporters that if his political allies won elections due by 2011 they would scrap the current constitution forced through by a military government in 2007.

"Today is a very significant day, the day we got our first constitution 77 years ago," he said.

"If the red shirts win the election, we will bring back the 1997 constitution and amend it and throw out the 2007 constitution."

He then led a candle-lighting ceremony to mark King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 82nd birthday last Saturday.

Mr Thaksin's supporters postponed a series of rallies earlier this month because of the king's ill-health.

Thailand is currently embroiled in a diplomatic row with neighbouring Cambodia after Phnom Penh appointed Mr Thaksin as an economic adviser.

Ties between the two countries were already tense over a border dispute.