PRACHIN BURI - Governor Jitra Promchutima could run but she could not hide.
Protesters in Prachi Buri rally in front of the residence of their governor after she avoided a rally at the provincial hall. (Photo by Sonthanaporn Inchan)
The rally in this central province could have been the same as those in other provinces, where a governor or deputy would come down to receive flowers and whistles from protesters against the government. But the absence of the Prachin Buri provincial chief made it different.
About 300 protesters converged at the provincial hall at 8.30am on Friday demanding that Mrs Jitra and other officials to stop working for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Pheu Thai Party-led government.
They blew whistles and urged the governor to come down to receive flowers and a whistle to join their campaign.
After being told that the governor was not in her office on the fourth floor, the demonstrators became angry and marched to the provincial residence by the Prachin Buri River, where Mrs Jitra was staying.
More people joined them along the way after news spread around town that Mrs Jitra did not show up at the hall and that the campaign against the government had added her to its protest list.
They set up a loudspeaker in front of her house and chanted: "Prachin Buri people say no to the 'red-shirt governor'."