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Red Shirt leader calls for group's restructure

PHOTO

Thida Thavornseth, the new leader of the Red Shirts, has called for a restructure of the group. [AFP]

AUDIO from Connect Asia

Ron Corben speaks to Thida Thavornseth

Created: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:42:01 GMT-0600

Ron Corben

Last Updated: 17 hours 36 minutes ago

The new leader of Thailand's anti-government Red Shirt protesters, also known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, has called for a restructure of the group. 

Thida Thavornseth says the Red Shirts will be divided into six groups in an effort to rebuild its strength amid fears of hardline elements taking over.

Mrs Thida took up the leadership after her husband Dr Weng Tojirakan, a key Red Shirt leader, was imprisoned on terrorism charges after the May clashes with the military. 

More than 90 people died and hundreds were injured during the violence, when the Thai military brought to an end the more than two months of anti-government protests.

Mrs Thida says with many senior leaders in jail she has taken up the leadership to prevent more hardline elements gaining control.

"It's time for us to try otherwise the group of people maybe we will have anarchy and maybe most people they pressure from about the justice in Thailand," she said. 

"So they (are) angry and can do anything. We the people and especially the Red Shirt people want to keep in a group and move that is good for the Red Shirt and for the country also." 

"We want to keep peaceful movement otherwise the democracy movement - our democracy movement may be destroyed because of some people want to destroy peaceful movement."

A National Human Rights Commission report alleges acts of torture and other abuses against some of the 420 Red Shirt supporters still detained. 

Meanwhile, the Thai government backed Truth for Reconciliation Commission has reportedly complained of stonewalling by security forces in seeking information. 

Mrs Thida says she doubts the Thai government's offers of reconciliation.

"I'm not sure about the reconciliation...because you see the first thing you have to find the truth; the truth and justice for the people. Then you can go to reconciliation."

The May protests supported former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who ousted in a coup in 2006, and remains overseas. 

Thaksin is the undeclared leader of the opposition Puea Thai Party but Mrs Thida says moves by Thaksin to dominate the UDD will be resisted.

"Maybe (Thaksin) has some influence for some leader but not for me, Dr Weng." 

"If Thaksin wants to lead absolutely he cannot, he cannot just only have some influence for some group of people. We have about 30 people, we have a brain, we can think, it's not necessary to follow Thaksin."

She says there are even calls within the 'Red Shirt' movement to set up a separate political party. 

"We tell the people every time that if Puea Thai is not a democracy party just is a party for some elite or a party in bureaucracy or aristocrat we give up, we'll have the party of ourselves."

"But right now we are not thinking (of a separate party)."