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| Antigovernment Protesters Vow to Block Elections in Thailand | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| BANGKOK — In one of the more provocative moves of Thailand’s monthlong political crisis, antigovernment protesters marching through Bangkok on Sunday vowed to disrupt the coming elections in their campaign to rid the country of its most influential political family. | BANGKOK — In one of the more provocative moves of Thailand’s monthlong political crisis, antigovernment protesters marching through Bangkok on Sunday vowed to disrupt the coming elections in their campaign to rid the country of its most influential political family. |
| As tens of thousands of protesters rallied at several points in Bangkok, the capital, the main protest leader, Suthep Thaugsuban, instructed his followers to gather outside the building where the governing party of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and other smaller parties had planned to register for the Feb. 2 national elections. | As tens of thousands of protesters rallied at several points in Bangkok, the capital, the main protest leader, Suthep Thaugsuban, instructed his followers to gather outside the building where the governing party of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and other smaller parties had planned to register for the Feb. 2 national elections. |
| “If you want to register, you will have to walk past our feet,” said Mr. Suthep, who vowed to organize more protests if necessary. | “If you want to register, you will have to walk past our feet,” said Mr. Suthep, who vowed to organize more protests if necessary. |
| “We will shut down the country; we will block everyone casting ballots,” he said. | “We will shut down the country; we will block everyone casting ballots,” he said. |
| The dueling realities of Thailand’s grinding political turmoil were vividly on display on Sunday. As protesters massed in Bangkok and blocked major intersections, Ms. Yingluck was hundreds of miles away in friendly territory among adoring crowds in northeastern Thailand, the power base of her party, a vast region with a population that rivals Bangkok’s. | The dueling realities of Thailand’s grinding political turmoil were vividly on display on Sunday. As protesters massed in Bangkok and blocked major intersections, Ms. Yingluck was hundreds of miles away in friendly territory among adoring crowds in northeastern Thailand, the power base of her party, a vast region with a population that rivals Bangkok’s. |
| As with the divisions of the red and blue states of the United States, Thailand’s geographical divides have become even sharper as the crisis has continued. The country is split over whether elections are the answer to the impasse or whether the country should suspend democracy while it overhauls its political system, the plan supported by protesters. | |
| The Democrat Party, which leads the country’s opposition but has struggled over the past two decades to attract voters in the provinces, said Saturday that its members would boycott the elections, tightening the party’s alliance with protesters and further polarizing the country. | |
| Opposition leaders and the protesters accuse Ms. Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire tycoon and former prime minister, of subverting democracy. Mr. Thaksin, who fled the country in 2008 before being convicted of abuse of power, wields his influence over the party from exile. | Opposition leaders and the protesters accuse Ms. Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire tycoon and former prime minister, of subverting democracy. Mr. Thaksin, who fled the country in 2008 before being convicted of abuse of power, wields his influence over the party from exile. |
| Mr. Thaksin’s allies counter that elections, which were called by Ms. Yingluck two weeks ago, are the only way forward for the country. | Mr. Thaksin’s allies counter that elections, which were called by Ms. Yingluck two weeks ago, are the only way forward for the country. |
| “Even if they do not accept this government, they must accept the system,” Ms. Yingluck told the Thai news media on Sunday. “The government has already returned power to the people and let them decide the future of the country.” | “Even if they do not accept this government, they must accept the system,” Ms. Yingluck told the Thai news media on Sunday. “The government has already returned power to the people and let them decide the future of the country.” |
| Charupong Ruangsuwan, the leader of the governing party, Pheu Thai, said he was confident that candidates would be able to register for the elections. | |
| “I will go to the registration venue every day until we can get inside or until the election commission changes the venue,” he said Sunday on Thai television. | “I will go to the registration venue every day until we can get inside or until the election commission changes the venue,” he said Sunday on Thai television. |
| But the volatility of the crisis was underlined by statements made Sunday by members of the pro-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, a group also known as the Red Shirts. | But the volatility of the crisis was underlined by statements made Sunday by members of the pro-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, a group also known as the Red Shirts. |
| The group is watching whether “rebels stir up violence or intimidate the candidates,” said Tida Thawornseth, the chairwoman of the group, which says it has tens of thousands of followers. | The group is watching whether “rebels stir up violence or intimidate the candidates,” said Tida Thawornseth, the chairwoman of the group, which says it has tens of thousands of followers. |
| “We will rise to fight only if there is a coup,” Ms. Tida said. | “We will rise to fight only if there is a coup,” Ms. Tida said. |
| Mr. Thaksin was removed as prime minister by the military in 2006, an event that helped set off the continuing cycle of political unrest. The coup makers also initiated a number of legal proceedings against him, including one case that led to the 2008 conviction. | Mr. Thaksin was removed as prime minister by the military in 2006, an event that helped set off the continuing cycle of political unrest. The coup makers also initiated a number of legal proceedings against him, including one case that led to the 2008 conviction. |
| On Sunday, protesters in Bangkok, who rallied beside shopping malls decorated for Christmas and New Year, said they were sure that if elections were held the governing party would return to power. The party, they said, does not respect the country’s king and passes populist policies that benefit farmers and other government supporters but that harm the country as a whole. | |
| “Our country is an agricultural society — we are not ready for democracy,” said Saran Seedum, a 24-year-old university student from southern Thailand. | “Our country is an agricultural society — we are not ready for democracy,” said Saran Seedum, a 24-year-old university student from southern Thailand. |
| “I think we need to restore the absolute monarchy,” he said, echoing a surprisingly common sentiment among protesters. “Let the king appoint good people to run the country.” | “I think we need to restore the absolute monarchy,” he said, echoing a surprisingly common sentiment among protesters. “Let the king appoint good people to run the country.” |
| Darunee Kerdkhao, 48, a teacher who lives in Bangkok, said she had joined the protest because the governing party had a lot of money and she feared that the votes of “simple minded” citizens in northern parts of the country could be bought. | Darunee Kerdkhao, 48, a teacher who lives in Bangkok, said she had joined the protest because the governing party had a lot of money and she feared that the votes of “simple minded” citizens in northern parts of the country could be bought. |
| “The protesters here are all educated people,” she said. | “The protesters here are all educated people,” she said. |
| But watching the protests with disdain was Som Srisuwan, 48, a motorcycle-taxi driver who said he was grateful that Mr. Thaksin had introduced universal health care and that the governing party was forging ahead with plans for high-speed trains in the country. | But watching the protests with disdain was Som Srisuwan, 48, a motorcycle-taxi driver who said he was grateful that Mr. Thaksin had introduced universal health care and that the governing party was forging ahead with plans for high-speed trains in the country. |
| Everyone in his village in northeastern Thailand planned to vote in the elections, he said. | Everyone in his village in northeastern Thailand planned to vote in the elections, he said. |
| “It’s impossible to stop the election,” he said. “How can we live without any rules, without any leaders?” | “It’s impossible to stop the election,” he said. “How can we live without any rules, without any leaders?” |
| He dismissed the protests as a “ridiculous movement.” | He dismissed the protests as a “ridiculous movement.” |