Thai PM rejects demand for fresh elections

Thailand's Prime Minister, backed by a formidable military force, rejected an ultimatum to dissolve Parliament on Monday as tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters vowed to splatter the seat of government with their own blood if their demands weren't met, reports from the Thai capital said.

Organizers of the demonstrations in Bangkok said they were requesting that each protester donate between two and 20 teaspoons of blood _ 10 to 100 cubic centimeters _ to meet their goal of more than 2,000 pints (1 million cubic centimeters). That would require between 10,000 and 100,000 people, roughly the crowd's peak size, to donate.

"The blood will be taken from the body and democratic soul of the Red Shirts," said a protest leader, Natthawut Saikua, referring to the popular name for the protesters. He said they would start recruiting medical staff for the blood drive Tuesday morning.

They threatened to pour the blood on Government House if their renewed demand was rejected by 6 p.m. Tuesday

A Red Cross official expressed concern over the hygiene of drawing blood from so many people and noted that such a large quantity "could save a lot of lives," if it weren't destined to be spilled.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the key target of the massive demonstration, earlier said he could not give in to the protesters' demand to dissolve Parliament by midday but left room for compromise.

"Asking for the dissolution of Parliament before noon in exchange for a halt to the demonstrations, we all agreed it can't be done. However, it doesn't mean the government coalition parties and I won't listen to their ideas," Abhisit said on nationwide television.
Thaksin, the ousted prime minister, spoke to the rally by video link Sunday night, urging the crowd to continue their struggle peacefully, and emphasizing that he considered the so-called "ammart," or elite, the enemy. Thaksin himself is a billionaire businessman who fled Thailand in 2008.

- Asian Tribune -