Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, seen here in December 2008, has urged Thaksin Shinawatra not to incite unrest in the kingdom. Some 30,000 supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra have gathered in Bangkok promising to fight on indefinitely unless the new Thai government leaves office within 15 days.(AFP/File/Christophe Archambault) 
A supporter of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra waves a Thai flag as he sits on a motorcycle in front of the Democracy Monument during a protest march to the Government House in Bangkok January 31, 2009. About 5,000 Thai police took up positions around Government House in Bangkok on Saturday ahead of a rally by anti-government protesters trying to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva from power.REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom (THAILAND)
Supporters of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra stand on the road outside the Government House during an anti-government protest in Bangkok January 31, 2009. Thousands of protesters marched on Thailand's seat of government on Saturday, delivering an ultimatum to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call elections within 15 days or face bigger street demonstrations.REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom (THAILAND)
Thousand of protesters, so-called ''Red Shirts'' gather in Bangkok. Some 30,000 supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra have gathered in Bangkok promising to fight on indefinitely unless the new Thai government leaves office within 15 days.(AFP/Nicolas Asfouri)
Thai soldiers try to stop anti-government demonstrators allied with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from marching on government house in Bangkok on Saturday Jan 31. 2009. They were demanding the government dissolve Parliament and call snap elections.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Thai soldiers stand guard in front of government house in Bangkok on Saturday Jan 31 2009 during anti-government protests by demonstrators allied with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra . They were demanding the government dissolve Parliament and call snap elections.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Thai soldiers guard inside the grounds of government house in Bangkok on Saturday Jan 31. 2009 during a rally of anti-government demonstrators allied with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra . They demand that the government dissolve Parliament and call snap elections.(AP Photo) AFP
Jan 31 09
Some 30,000 supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra gathered in Bangkok on Saturday to rally against the new Thai government they accuse of illegitimately assuming power last month.
More than 5,000 police were deployed to a city park where the crowd gathered ahead of a planned march to Government House, adopting the tactics of their rivals, who occupied the main government offices for three months last year.
Rally leader Jakrapob Penkair addressed the cheering crowd at 7.45pm (1245GMT), denouncing the government and accusing the army of staging a silent coup to bring it to power.
"We have experienced several fights, several coups, but there is no fight as important as this one because we have to fight to bring back our nation," said Jakrapob.
"How can the party that lost in elections three times become the government? The army denies being involved in setting up this government but no one believes them anymore," he added.
The protesters -- known as the "Red Shirts" because their crimson clothes show they oppose the yellow-clad, anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy, plan to present their demands when they march to Government House at 9pm (1400GMT).
They are calling for those involved in the siege of Bangkok's airports in November to be fired from government jobs and then prosecuted, and for parliament to be dissolved.
Abhisit sparked outrage in December by appointing PAD sympathiser Kasit Piromya to the post of foreign minister and two other PAD members to key adviser positions.
Police said they would not interfere with the rally so long as it remained peaceful.
"There are around 30,000 protesters gathered at Sanam Luang now but so far there's no sign of violence," police area commander General Anan Srihiran told AFP.
"The police have spoken to the (rally) leaders from time to time, asking protesters not to move... However police will not use force against protesters," he added.
Speaking earlier on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was not worried by the rally.
"I think the mood of the people now is that they very much want to move forward, they want to get over the current divisions, they want to see a government that works hard, that deals with people's concerns and has the honesty and integrity that has been missing for so long," Abhisit said.
"If we can keep on working in the way we have for the last month then I'm not worried about it," he said, adding that deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban would ensure there was no repeat of last year's siege.
Lieutenant General Suchart Mueankaoe, commander of Bangkok Metropolitan police, told AFP 5,250 officers would police the event, with many more on standby, along with military units.
The protesters remained in good spirits as night fell, with the crowd waving Thai flags and foot-shaped clappers as they were entertained by musicians.
Hawkers sold red shirts around the park, which was dotted with pictures of their hero Thaksin.
Jan 31 09
Some 30,000 supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra gathered in Bangkok on Saturday to rally against the new Thai government they accuse of illegitimately assuming power last month.
More than 5,000 police were deployed to a city park where the crowd gathered ahead of a planned march to Government House, adopting the tactics of their rivals, who occupied the main government offices for three months last year.
Rally leader Jakrapob Penkair addressed the cheering crowd at 7.45pm (1245GMT), denouncing the government and accusing the army of staging a silent coup to bring it to power.
"We have experienced several fights, several coups, but there is no fight as important as this one because we have to fight to bring back our nation," said Jakrapob.
"How can the party that lost in elections three times become the government? The army denies being involved in setting up this government but no one believes them anymore," he added.
The protesters -- known as the "Red Shirts" because their crimson clothes show they oppose the yellow-clad, anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy, plan to present their demands when they march to Government House at 9pm (1400GMT).
They are calling for those involved in the siege of Bangkok's airports in November to be fired from government jobs and then prosecuted, and for parliament to be dissolved.
Abhisit sparked outrage in December by appointing PAD sympathiser Kasit Piromya to the post of foreign minister and two other PAD members to key adviser positions.
Police said they would not interfere with the rally so long as it remained peaceful.
"There are around 30,000 protesters gathered at Sanam Luang now but so far there's no sign of violence," police area commander General Anan Srihiran told AFP.
"The police have spoken to the (rally) leaders from time to time, asking protesters not to move... However police will not use force against protesters," he added.
Speaking earlier on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was not worried by the rally.
"I think the mood of the people now is that they very much want to move forward, they want to get over the current divisions, they want to see a government that works hard, that deals with people's concerns and has the honesty and integrity that has been missing for so long," Abhisit said.
"If we can keep on working in the way we have for the last month then I'm not worried about it," he said, adding that deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban would ensure there was no repeat of last year's siege.
Lieutenant General Suchart Mueankaoe, commander of Bangkok Metropolitan police, told AFP 5,250 officers would police the event, with many more on standby, along with military units.
The protesters remained in good spirits as night fell, with the crowd waving Thai flags and foot-shaped clappers as they were entertained by musicians.
Hawkers sold red shirts around the park, which was dotted with pictures of their hero Thaksin.
Thousands of anti-Thaksin protesters marched on Government House in August last year and occupied it for three months as they tried to topple the government elected in December 2007.
They said the ruling People Power Party (PPP) was running the country on behalf of Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, but has remained enormously divisive, despite living in exile for most of the time since the putsch.
The PAD escalated their campaign and seized Bangkok's two airports between November 25 and December 3. They eventually got their wish when a court dissolved the PPP and forced then-premier Somchai Wongsawat from office.
The move paved the way for the Democrat Party's Abhisit Vejjajiva to be elected prime minister in a parliamentary vote last month, alienating many PPP supporters who felt robbed of their democratic rights.
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