Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung thanked the organisers of the anti-government rally at the Royal Turf Club, which ended at 6pm on Sunday, for a peaceful event which did not cause trouble to others.
Mr Chalerm made the comment after meeting city police officers deployed to guard the nearby Government House during the rally held by the Pitak Siam (Protecting Siam) group.
Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commander Adul Narongsak said people taking part in the rally, which began in the morning, numbered about 8,000 at 3pm and gradually drifted off home until there were 6,000 at 4pm. There were no irregularities and the gathering was peaceful all the way, Pol Maj Gen Adul said.
About 450 officers were deployed at the racecourse and outside to ensure law and order.
Mr Chalerm admitted the number of people attending the rally was more than he had expected. He claimed there were certain politicians and political parties mobilising their supporters to go the venue.
He said he was not worried if the Pitak Siam group intensified the level of its mass rally against the government. He believed the ''storm'' the group had tried to brew to ignite a fresh round of anti-government sentiment to oust it would fail. This was because the Yingluck Shinawatra administration had been elected by the people, he said.
Speaking to the press before the rally, Pitak Siam group leader Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit, also known as Seh Ai, reaffirmed that the intentions of organising the rally were to attack the government for allowing people to insult the monarchy without taking action against them, for being a nominee of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and for corrupt practices, particularly involving the rice-pledging scheme.
Asked to comment on the result of an opinion poll which indicated that he did not have enough reasons to justify holding the rally, Gen Boonlert said he was not worried, claiming that he had received a lot of phone calls giving him moral support.
He said if the number of people taking part in the rally was below 10,000 he would call it off and would not organise another. But if the number of participants was over 50,000 the rally would be extended for another day.
Gen Boonlert, 69, had been approached to lead the rally by activists opposing ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Among those who have sought his support are multi-coloured group leader Tul Sitthisomwong, scholar Pramote Nakhonthap, Senator Somjet Boonthanom and activist Adm Chai Suwannaphap.
"I accepted the invitation because the government has allowed red-shirt associated media to offend the institution of the monarchy," he said.
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