UPDATING All Day, Every Day
POLICE in Bangkok sought arrest warrants for 13 protest leaders but the courts did not sign the warrants, according to reports. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban is to make an important announcement this evening, a spokesperson says. Thousands of anti-government protesters from all directions were marching to Bangkok's Government House.
Original Report
PHUKET: A crowd estimated by some at up to 50,000 brought Phuket City to a standstill today in sending a message to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to go.
Protesters assembled at Phuket's Provincial Hall and moved onto the streets at 9.39am, waving national flags and blowing whistles.
In Bangkok, surrounding barbed wire barricades reinforced by lines of police were ready to prevent crowds from approaching Government House, the target for today's nine capital city rallies.
With thousands of protesters converging from up to 20 kilometres away, it is likely to take until this afternoon before the scale of the Bangkok protest can be estimated.
On Phuket, students from universities and high schools joined pensioners and shop keepers in a noisy demonstration that tied traffic in knots.
At least 10,000 people took to the streets, although some estimates put the figure at 50,000. It was certainly by far the largest of the protest rallies so far.
Real estate manager Songsak Sea Ong, 38, said: ''I've never joined a protest before. This is the first time for me. I want to see Thailand change.
''It's plain that parliament doesn't work and a fresh election won't help. If only one party can make all the decisions, then it's a monopoly parliament.''
An eleventh-hour bid by Prime Minister Yingluck to lessen the impact of today's protests failed when she announced the dissolution of parliament about an hour before the rallies began.
Phuket City is on the east coast of the holiday island, about 25 kilometres from Patong, Kata, Karon, Kamala and other popular beach destinations.
More than 30 nations have warned their citizens not to venture in areas in Thailand where there are large crowds.
Any effect on Phuket's and Thailand's tourism industry is expected to show in a drop in forward bookings for January and February.
Khun Suthep's proposal for a ''People's Council'' to replace the elected government includes a new electoral system free from vote-buying; the election of all provincial governors; police to be responsible to governors; no expiry time for corruption cases; reforms in health, education and social welfare.
