Thai protest leader sets May 27 as D-Day

Thailand protest leader, Suthep Thaugsuban. fluke samed / Shutterstock

BANGKOK (PNA/Xinhua) — Thailand’s anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said Saturday that if not enough people joined his campaign to pressure the remaining caretaker ministers to resign by May 26, he would stop fighting and turn himself in the very next day.

Suthep urged more than 1 million people to come out by May 26 to support his rally, saying otherwise, he would call an end to the street protest which had lasted for more than half a year.

Starting from Monday, protesters will be dispatched to hound the 24 remaining caretaker ministers wherever they go and demand their resignation, Suthep said.

Government officials who support the protesters will also be asked to stop taking orders from these ministers, he said.

Suthep has also planned to meet with representatives from state enterprises, retired government officials, as well as active permanent secretaries and heads of government agencies, to mobilize them and formulate plans of action.

People nationwide are expected to rise up from May 23 to 25 to force the cabinet ministers to resign, he said.

Suthep expressed his disappointment at the Senate on Friday as the latter had not yet installed an interim prime minister as protesters requested, and vowed to find a way on his own.