Thailand’s anti-Government leader on Sunday said he has met embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra demanding that she return ruling mandate to the people while at least five persons were killed as protestors launched a “people’s coup” against the regime.
Suthep Thaugsuban said that he told Yingluck that his group would not stop the week-long protests until it achieved the goal of drafting new rules for the country as the campaign entered a dangerous phase. Suthep, a former opposition Democrat Party MP said Yingluck did not say anything during the meeting.
Suthep said he agreed to meet Yingluck because the meeting was witnessed by the commanders-in-chief of the three armed forces. The People’s Democratic Reform Committee leader has called for everyone in the public and private sectors nationwide to stop work from tomorrow until the protest to remove Yingluck’s Government succeeds in what he calls a “people’s coup”.
He claimed in a statement that throughout the 32 days of protests, the PDRC had managed to draw support from millions of people and take control of many important government ministries. He called for all television stations to stop presenting news on the government and run only news on the PDRC.
Meanwhile, Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, the Thai Journalists Association and the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand issued a statement denouncing anti-Government protesters’ movement against television channels. This threatens Press freedom and goes against the democratic rule. The protesters must stop the action immediately, they said. Protesters stormed into all six free TV stations on Sunday demanding all to broadcast their movements and statements and stop airing all news related to the Government.