Thais urge PM Thaksin to resign

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra took their message to shoppers in the heart of the capital Sunday, forcing at least one luxury mall to temporarily close its doors. Looking to broaden their appeal, more than 10,000 protesters marched from the national stadium to two of the country's most expensive shopping malls. Despite attracting more than 100,000 protesters Saturday night, the move was a tacit admission that weeks of peaceful anti-government protests have done little to shake most Thais from their daily routines. Thaksin's opponents, who accuse him of widespread corruption and abuse of power, have held almost daily street protests in recent weeks. In an effort to defuse the crisis, Thaksin called snap elections for April 2, but the main opposition parties have said they will boycott the poll. Sunday's demonstration was largely peaceful, but caused massive traffic jams in central Bangkok and forced one mall, the Emporium, to close its doors for two hours, a security guard said. Dozens of police and security guards stood outside, preventing protesters from entering. Most dispersed peacefully after a series of speeches from protest leaders. Some bystanders yelled their support for the protesters, who waved Thai flags and chanted "Thaksin get out." Others were critical of the demonstration. "These people are causing confusion to the public and tarnishing the image of the country," said Kiatsuda Paithayaporn, a 46-year-old shopper. On Saturday night, protest leaders called on King Bhumibol Adulyadej to intervene in the political crisis, as Thaksin has refused repeated demands to step down. "The crisis has reached an impasse," Sondhi Limthongkul, a key leader in the anti-Thaksin alliance, told the crowd. "We, the king's subjects, see no other way out in resolving the crisis without causing bloodshed." The king's top advisers have publicly called for calm and dialogue, but the palace has otherwise kept its distance from the fray because the constitutional monarch is not supposed to get involved in politics. He has, however, stepped in to resolve national crises in the past, most recently in 1992 after street demonstrations against a military-backed government were violently suppressed. There has been speculation the Election Commission would postpone the April 2 election amid the political upheaval. But in a sign Saturday the elections were set to go ahead, the king's chief adviser, Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda, cast his ballot. Registered voters can cast their ballots this weekend. Thaksin, who has widespread support among the rural population, has campaigned across the country this week, telling voters that he would not bow to mob rule. As he toured an auto show Saturday on the outskirts of Bangkok, the embattled prime minister said it was the "obligation of all parties to nominate candidates for the election, not boycott it." "I don't care whether I'm prime minister but the democratic system must move forward," Thaksin told reporters at golf driving range in Bangkok. "I am confident that a large number of voters will turn out which will show that most people want democracy to move ahead." Months of small anti-Thaksin rallies ballooned into a mass movement after the prime minister's family in January announced it had sold its controlling stake in telecommunications company Shin Corp. to Singapore state-owned investment company Temasek Holdings for a tax-free $1.9 billion. Critics allege the sale involved insider trading and complain that a key national asset is now in a foreign government's hands. Thaksin is also accused of cracking down on dissent and stifling press freedom. -AP