Political passions run high

The People's Alliance for Democracy says it will hold sustained demonstrations outside Government House.

Similar demonstrations in 2006 eventually led to the overthrow of the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

The PAD yesterday held its first outdoor rally since the People Power Party took the government benches. The rally was at Democracy Monument. Ten thousand people attended.

The group has held two rallies at Thammasat University over the past two months. They have opposed the main government party's plan to amend the Constitution. At both, supporters of charter change staged noisy protests in opposition at nearby Sanam Luang.

A pro-amendment crowd made its presence felt at yesterday's PAD demonstration. It shouted abuse and hurled objects at PAD supporters. Some bottles thrown contained urine and faeces.

PAD supporters responded with abuse and threw objects back. Police were able to prevent more serious confrontation.

One 48-year-old man, identified as Weerayut Seniwongse na Ayutthaya, was slightly injured.

Speakers yesterday aimed attacks at the so-called Thaksin regime and the former PM. The rally cry was "Thaksin, get out".

The alliance will ask Parliament to commence impeachment of 150 government MPs and senators who support Constitution amendment.

Five PAD leaders took the stage yesterday evening and announced the plan to march on Government House.

"We will continue our protest against Constitution amendments there, Piphob Dhongchai told the audience.

"We will call on PM and PPP leader Samak Sundaravej and his Cabinet to take responsibility for the attempt to scrap the Constitution to whitewash crimes committed by people in the Thaksin regime," he says.

About 3pm pro-amendment leader Waranchai Chokchana attacked the PAD over a megaphone. Another 100 people supported him.

In a related development, the pro-amendment faction yesterday threatened to seek a court order to revoke the bail of media mogul and PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul, if he took the stage.

Pracha Prasobdee, a People Power MP for Samut Prakan and leader of the Great Public Group for the Protection of Democracy, says he and his supporters gathered at Sanam Luang and Thammasat University to monitor the PAD protest.

They brought recording equipment to collect evidence of any offences by PAD people and its leaders. He says his group is not looking for confrontation with the PAD because that will give it "legitimacy to create violence".

The country needs a "brave man to save it from ruin", says respected columnist Rapee Sakarik in a letter to media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul and the People's Alliance for Democracy.

Rapee, 86, says although he is ill in hospital he remains concerned for the country. "I give support to everyone to seek independence for Thailand, which is in a disastrous situation worse than a crisis,'' he writes.

"The economic war is worse than the war that uses weapons. We need people who are not only brave against swords and guns but have moral courage.

"Society is being attacked by an undermining group of people who will not survive. When the enemies receive what they want, they will not associate with them,'' he says.