In order to pool together a million people to take part in their anti-government rally later this month, the red-shirt movement and the Pheu Thai Party are making moves to mobilise masses across the country, an informed source said yesterday.
At a meeting yesterday, leaders of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) appeared to have differences over several key issues, including the date for the rally - on whether it should be held before the verdict is read out on former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's assets-seizure case on February 26. The date both sides finally decided upon was February 20.
DAAD leaders Veera Musigapong, Nattawut Saikua and Jatuporn Promphan reportedly wanted the rally to be held before February 26 to pre-empt the first strike, while Weng Tojirakarn and Nit Sinthuphrai wanted it to be held the day after to avoid criticism that the red-shirt movement was established to serve Thaksin.
Local DAAD organisers reported that red-shirt protesters nationwide were ready to converge as soon as they get the green light from leaders. The protesters are further prepared because they've all "graduated" from the network of "red-shirt schools" organised by the DAAD.
There are 459 of these so-called red-shirt schools across the country, with 107 in the Northeast, 100 in the North, 80 in Central, 14 in the South and 158 in the capital.
Of the million protesters, 70 per cent will come from the provinces and the remainder from Bangkok and its outskirts. The red-shirts from the provinces are expected to arrive in the capital one week before D-Day, when they will be joined by their Bangkok-based counterparts.
Red-shirt leaders and Bangkok Pheu Thai MPs have each been given the job of bringing in 10,000 to 20,000 protesters, while each of the 459 red-shirt schools will be providing between 1,000 and 2,000 people, the sources explained.
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