Final battle starts to oust Thai caretaker government

Thai protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban Sunday launched his final battle and vowed to surrender, ending the anti-government movement, if he fails to oust the caretaker government by May 26.

People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Thaugsuban said Saturday that the movement will rid the country of the proxy regime of Thaksin and install a new government invested with full authority to run the country, Bangkok Post reported.

"From today (Sunday) until May 26, we will commit all our resources and energy to completing the mission. Whether it will be a happy ending depends on the people," Thaugsuban said at a meeting in the Government House in Bangkok.

Thaugsuban has asked the remaining 24 caretaker ministers, including the acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, to resign as the PDRC considers them to be corrupt and serving the interests of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin was the prime minister of Thailand 2001-06 when he was ousted on allegations of corruption, treason, authoritarianism, tax evasion and concealing his wealth during his premiership.

During the meeting, Thaugsuban laid down an operational plan to reach his main goal. The measures spelt out were: People joining the PDRC operations from Sunday to May 26; issuing a statement and erecting signboards to disregard the Thaksin regime; displaying signs of civil disobedience by affixing a national flag or other symbols on vehicles or workplaces; and state union labour workers to stop working from May 22.

"If the government does not return power to the people, we will resort to stringent measures with our tools on hand to bring victory to the people and ask the government, particularly the remaining 24 ministers, to resign and return power to the people as soon as possible," Thaugsuban said.

The announcement of the "final battle" came after the Senate Saturday refused to appoint another interim prime minister as the PDRC had demanded.

The PDRC protestors started demonstrations since incumbent prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was unseated by a constitutional court last week, and said they would not stop till a new government is formed.

Meanwhile, Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) said they will be on high alert until May 26 and will keep monitoring the activities of the PDRC and the pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

The Thai army has also warned the anti-government protestors of military action if they indulged in violence.