BANGKOK: (Reuters) April 24: Thai government officials huddled on Saturday to consider a peace overture by tens of thousands of protesters demanding elections in an increasingly deadly six-week street rally in Bangkok.
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| An anti-government Red Shirt's son plays inside the Red-Shirt's camp set up in the central quarter of Silom in downtown Bangkok on April 24. AFP |
The red-shirted supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra said on Friday they will end a three-week occupation of Bangkok's ritzy shopping district if the government dissolved parliament and called elections in 30 days, softening a previous demand for immediate polls.
It was unclear whether the military-backed government of embattled Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would agree to that timetable. Analysts say he is running out of options after weeks of unrest by protesters who have gained a clear upper hand.
“The government might have to agree to a three-month timeframe, but this doesn't mean this will ease the tensions,” said Pitch Pongsawat, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University.
“There doesn't seem to be any real control about what's been happening on the streets.” Thai government officials were meeting on Saturday to consider the red shirts offer after talks with protest leaders late on Friday.
Underscoring the tension, a series of grenade blasts killed one person and wounded 88 on Thursday in the heart of Bangkok's business district. |
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