THE Peoples' Alliance for Democracy concert and rally on Phuket appeared to go without a hitch last night, with thousands in the audience and a picnic-like atmosphere.
So-called New politics, CCTVs that do not work in Bangkok and the need for a change in police chiefs in the capital were just some of the topics discussed by PAD leaders on stage at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket City.
While the PAD is known for wearing yellow shirts, many of those on stage wore light blue in keeping with the seaside location of the concert.
Most of the crowd of 10,000-plus, who paid 200 baht each for tickets to the event, wore yellow, with people of all ages present.
While many in the audience came from Phuket or other southern provinces, busloads of supporters also travelled from other parts of Thailand.
A fair sprang up as part of the event. Concert-goers could buy food, yellow souvenirs, and hand-clappers.
The concert became something of a ''Salute to Sondhi,'' with the best-known of the PAD leaders shot in the head in an assassination attempt on Friday.
Hundreds of PAD fans wrote notes of sympathy for the wounded media tycoon last night.
Loudspeakers carried speeches across the park and those at the rear of the crowd were able to watch proceedings on large screens.
The show was telecast live on Khun Sondhi's ASTV channel.
The local Phuket PAD invasion of Phuket airport last August provided inspiration for Khun Sondhi to lead the occupation of Bangkok's international airport in November, which eventually triggered the appointment of the current government, led by the Democrat Party.
Khun Sondhi was reported by doctors yesterday to be recovering well after surgery to remove a bullet fragment from his head. He is talking and is expected to leave hospital within two or three days.
His driver, Adul Daengpradab, remains in critical condition and requires further surgery.
Police are seeking to arrest the gunmen, who sprayed Khun Sondhi's vehicle with bullets and fled.
The shooting came just a few days after the failure of a ''peaceful revolution'' called by disgraced former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who urged his red shirt supporters to bring Bangkok to a standstill.
Khun Thaksin has had his Thai passport revoked and is now reported to be bound for Nicaragua, a small country in central America with a modern history of military dictatorships, revolution, cronyism, nepotism and corruption.
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So-called New politics, CCTVs that do not work in Bangkok and the need for a change in police chiefs in the capital were just some of the topics discussed by PAD leaders on stage at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket City.
While the PAD is known for wearing yellow shirts, many of those on stage wore light blue in keeping with the seaside location of the concert.
Most of the crowd of 10,000-plus, who paid 200 baht each for tickets to the event, wore yellow, with people of all ages present.
While many in the audience came from Phuket or other southern provinces, busloads of supporters also travelled from other parts of Thailand.
A fair sprang up as part of the event. Concert-goers could buy food, yellow souvenirs, and hand-clappers.
The concert became something of a ''Salute to Sondhi,'' with the best-known of the PAD leaders shot in the head in an assassination attempt on Friday.
Hundreds of PAD fans wrote notes of sympathy for the wounded media tycoon last night.
Loudspeakers carried speeches across the park and those at the rear of the crowd were able to watch proceedings on large screens.
The show was telecast live on Khun Sondhi's ASTV channel.
The local Phuket PAD invasion of Phuket airport last August provided inspiration for Khun Sondhi to lead the occupation of Bangkok's international airport in November, which eventually triggered the appointment of the current government, led by the Democrat Party.
Khun Sondhi was reported by doctors yesterday to be recovering well after surgery to remove a bullet fragment from his head. He is talking and is expected to leave hospital within two or three days.
His driver, Adul Daengpradab, remains in critical condition and requires further surgery.
Police are seeking to arrest the gunmen, who sprayed Khun Sondhi's vehicle with bullets and fled.
The shooting came just a few days after the failure of a ''peaceful revolution'' called by disgraced former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who urged his red shirt supporters to bring Bangkok to a standstill.
Khun Thaksin has had his Thai passport revoked and is now reported to be bound for Nicaragua, a small country in central America with a modern history of military dictatorships, revolution, cronyism, nepotism and corruption.
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Power of yellow shirts
Posted by Richard Dear on April 21, 2009 16:12