Pro-govt group to hold rally to support Thai polls

A pro-government Thai group has said it will hold a nationwide rally on Friday to support the February 2 polls as the opposition stepped up protests demanding embattled premier Yingluck Shinawatra's resignation.
The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) leader Nuttawut Saikuar, however, refused to elaborate on the plan, saying there would be an announcement later.
Nuttawut, also deputy commerce minister, said the move was aimed at promoting next Sunday's election and would be peaceful.
An anti-government leader said the decision of the Yingluck government to go ahead with the February 2 election would only put extra pressure on the caretaker government because it would provide "ammunition" to the protesters.

An official of the People's Democratic for Reform Committee (PDRC), which is leading the anti-government protests, said the going ahead with the polls will give a reason for the anti-government rally to continue.
After failing to reach a consensus yesterday over rescheduling the poll in a meeting with the Election Commission (EC), the government announced that the snap election would go ahead as scheduled.

Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said delaying the poll would not solve problems and could open the door to more trouble.
The protest leader said that while the ruling Pheu Thai Party would most definitely win the poll, its legitimacy would certainly be questioned. He also feared that clashes may break out, as happened last Sunday when advance voting was held.

Protesters said they will press ahead with their shutdown of Bangkok.
Protesters have been demanding that Yingluck should step down and make way for an unelected "People's Council" to carry reforms aimed at curbing the political dominance of the Shinawatra clan.
They have accused her of acting as a proxy for her brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a coup in 2006. He lives in self-imposed exile in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck is being investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in relation to a controversial subsidy scheme for rice farmers.
The rice purchase scheme was launched in 2011, with the aim of boosting farmers' incomes and helping alleviate rural poverty. But it has resulted in the accumulation of huge stockpiles of rice, which the government cannot sell.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) says it is looking into Yingluck's role in the scheme, and investigating her for possible negligence of duty.