Thailand: protesters undeterred by promises of fresh elections
(Vatican Radio) A day after Thailand's prime minister called a snap election, she
says she plans to remain in office until the poll takes place. But anti-government
protestors said they will not wait and continued to demand that she leave office.
Alastair Wanklyn is monitoring the story and filed this report:
The Thai
prime minister rejected demands that she resign, saying Thailand needs a caretaker
leader and she plans to stay in office until early elections two months from now.
But the strain of the past few weeks apparently showed, as Yingluck Shinawatra appeared
to break down, saying... the attacks now are personal -- against her and her family.
She appealed for even-handedness, saying she had made so many concessions she doesn't
know what more she can do.
But on the streets of Bangkok thousands anti-government
protestors continued to demand that she quit and replace the post of prime minister
with an appointed committee.
Outside Bangkok, the government is popular and
the protestors believe the party would return to power in the election promised in
early February.
Analysts continue to see the standoff as representing a split
in Thai society, between urban traders and the rural poor, the support base of Yingluck's
party. And, commentators say, the protestors' demands are difficult to meet, so Thailand
risks unrest if the standoff continues.