Thai red-shirts leader summons more supporters for showdown

BANGKOK, April 6 (Xinhua) -- A leader of the anti-government movement known as red-shirts Tuesday called on supporters from all provinces to immediately come to the Thai capital Bangkok for final showdown against the government, local media said.

Many soldiers were stationed at the Lumpini Park, some 300 metres from Ratchaprasong intersection, a prime shopping and tourism area in Bangkok, waiting for an order to crack down on the demonstrators, the Bangkok Post online quoted Natthawut Saikua, a core leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship or UDD as saying.

Meanwhile, Jatuporn Prompan, another UDD leader, said that if the government used force to evict red-shirted protesters from the rally site at Ratchaprasong intersectionthey will immediately lay siege to headquarters of the ruling Democrat Party and attack prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's residence in Bangkok.

"If we were dispersed at Ratchaprasong, we would disperse the ruling Democrat Party's 64th anniversary celebration being held at its headquarters," Jatuporn said.

Weng Tochirakarn, another UDD leader, has dispatched some 1,000 security guards to each intersection in Pratunam, Ploenchit, Pathumwan and Chidlom areas to confront with the joint police and military troops.

Late Monday, the UDD announced that they would on Tuesday march to 11 areas, starting from 11:00 a.m. local time, which are banned from entering.

The red-shirts, mainly supporters of the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in 2006 coup, started occupying the central commercial area last Saturday with roads blocked and shops forced to close to push the government to dissolve parliament and hold early elections.