Thousands of anti-coup protesters, organised by allies of Thailand's ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, marched in heavy rain Saturday to the country's army headquarters to demand the junta step down.
About 6,000 people marched from a plaza near the Grand Palace to the army headquarters two kilometres (one mile) away, according to police. The entrance to the army compound was blocked by metal barricades and seven rows of security forces, some holding shields.
But the protesters remained in the street outside despite pounding rain and vowed to stay there until nearly midnight. Two Buddhist monks in saffron-coloured robes marched along with some of Thaksin's closest allies. Many of the protesters wore white T-shirts and headbands that read "Non-violence."
About 3,000 unarmed police stood guard along the tree-lined Royal Avenue as the marchers made their way through Bangkok's historic district, which is filled with palaces, temples and government offices.
"Up to 900 unarmed police are deployed at each point along the marchers' path. They are under strict orders not to use violence," Bangkok police chief Lieutenant General Adison Noncie told reporters.
The marchers want the junta, which calls itself the Council for National Security (CNS), to resign and for new elections to be held. They shouted, "CNS get out," and carried banners reading, "Overthrow CNS." When they reached the army headquarters, protest leaders and police held talks to agree on how the demonstrators would stay in the street as women police officers passed out bottles of water to the crowd.
Protesters have taken to the streets every night this month to demand the junta's resignation, sometimes attracting as many as 15,000 people.
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