ASIA/THAILAND - Tensions and protests in electoral campaign in view of 2 April vote; local Catholic Church calls for calm

Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - Street protests in Thailand continue: for four weeks in a row thousands of demonstrators in the streets of Bangkok have been calling for Premier Thaksin Shinawatra to resign. It is feared that tension may explode in clashes with security forces on guard in front of public buildings.
Protests intensified since the Premier dissolved the Lower House and called early elections for 2 April. The people saw this as an attempt by Shinawatra to shirk his responsibility to face up to a critical situation. In this “fluid, variable” situation say local sources, the local Catholic Church in the person of Cardinal Michai Kitbunchu, Archbishop of Bangkok, has urged to people to be calm and advised Catholic organisations not to get involved in protests or violence.
Popular malcontent with the government accused of corruption surfaced in January. The Opposition, led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy, has decided to boycott the elections while the Premier, elected in 2001 with the Thai Rak Thai Party and re-confirmed in 2005, is popular in rural areas.
Among the demonstrators there are members of the Thai University Movement and Dharma Army Buddhist monks, while 100 intellectuals and politicians have petitioned the King of Thailand to intervene to dismiss the Premier and appoint a temporary government commission to guarantee fair and free elections. (Agenzia Fides 7/03/2006 Righe: 25 Parole: 251)