Anti-government protesters say they will picnic on the streets of Bangkok as part of their rally against the general election tomorrow.
Supporters of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee march from the Lat Phrao intersection to Fortune shopping mall on Rama IX road calling for a boycott of tomorrow’s election and campaigning for national reform. PATIPAT JANTHONG
Supporters of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) say they will not physically block voters or attempt to intimidate them, and will instead adopt a soft approach.
They say they will turn main streets into picnic venues and arrange music and art activities imitating the artistic atmosphere of the Montmartre area in Paris, PDRC co-leader Sathit Wongnongtoey said yesterday.
However, the move is still seen by many as an attempt to obstruct the vote by restricting travel to polling stations on election day.
Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban earlier said tomorrow's rally will be the PDRC's "biggest ever" and asked his supporters to gather on every road in Bangkok and to park their cars in the lanes.
Mr Suthep told demonstrators at the Pathumwan rally stage last night that the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) is set to use force to crack down on protests if violence erupts on Sunday. As the result, people who want to oppose the election should not block polling stations but come out to gather on the roads instead.
"If they still suppress us holding peaceful picnics on the roads, the world will know, that they [the caretaker government] intend to cause violence," Mr Suthep said.
"For the southern people who are besieging the venues keeping ballot papers, just continue doing so and make more peaceful gatherings. Don't remove [the ballots], don't flee and don't fight, just sit and pray if the authorities come," he said.
The group disagrees with holding the election before its proposed reform of national politics, aimed at rooting out corruption and the influence of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
It says an election can be held once the reform process is complete.
Mr Sathit said the group is determined to be non-confrontational in its anti-election stance, so will hold a "national picnic day" to keep the protesters away from tension and confrontation.
PDRC supporters from Chulalongkorn and Thammasat universities will prepare toh chin, a Chinese-style feast in which people sit around a table and are served Chinese dishes, and offer it for free along Henri Dunant Road.
Food stalls will also offer free meals to people along Rama I Road from Pathumwan intersection to Ratchaprasong intersection, Mr Sathit said.
"Participants can also bring food from home for the picnic," he said. "They will be eating and watching entertainment at the same time."
The area in front of Siam Centre shopping mall will be turned into "Montmartre", where artists will gather and offer to draw sketches of passers-by, Mr Sathit added.
Another activity to be held at the rally site at Pathumwan intersection is "balloting" at booths, to mimic the casting of ballots at polling stations.
However, Mr Sathit said, the ballots are not votes but reflections written by PDRC supporters about their feelings.