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BANGKOK - Protesters linked to Thailand's ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Sunday delivered a letter to the country's military rulers demanding that the army-installed government resign and immediately hold elections.
Members of the so-called Democracy Alliance against Dictatorship submitted the letter to Major General Veeran Chantasatkosol, secretary general of the Thai army, amid tight security in front of army headquarters in Bangkok.
"We come here today to ask for the junta to resign, bring back the 1997 constitution and hold elections as soon as possible," said Veera Musikapong, one of the leaders of nightly rallies against coup leaders.
The group, set up by former senior members of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party, have vowed to hold demonstrations every day until June 24 - the anniversary of the end of absolute monarchy in Thailand and the transition to a constitutional monarchy in 1932.
Weng Totulakarn, a democracy activist, called on military head General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who led the coup that ousted Thaksin last September, to join the final rally next Sunday and debate with protest organisers.
"If he loves the country, he should join the debate," Weng told reporters, adding that a referendum should be held on the legitimacy of the coup.
Thousands of protesters have been turning out at the nightly demonstrations in central Bangkok, with the crowds swelling after a tribunal dissolved Thaksin's party at the end of May, angering his supporters.
On Friday, the ousted leader addressed protesters in a recorded speech from London, urging the military-installed government to push ahead with elections promised for December and calling for reconciliation after months of political turmoil.
The army-installed premier, Surayud Chulanont, has said he will hold talks with "any parties" to bring an end to the upheaval, but protest leaders have vowed to continue, with another rally scheduled for Sunday night.
Democracy advocates, anti-poverty campaigners, and even Buddhist monks have staged protests against the government in recent months, and the demonstrations have grown as authorities delivered a series of sharp legal blows against Thaksin.
On Monday, anti-graft authorities froze 1.5 billion dollars in assets belonging to Thaksin and his family. - AFP/ir
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