The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship will organise mass rallies of red shirts nationwide on Jan 29 in support of the Feb 2 election, UDD chairwoman Tida Tawornseth said on Thursday.
There were clear signs the scheduled Feb 2 polls might not take place. Therefore the red-shirts have to take to the streets to lead the country into the planned election, which is the only way out of the ongoing political crisis, she said.
Mrs Tida said there would be no confrontation between the red-shirts and supporters of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) during the planned mass gatherings.
The UDD rallies would not be in Bangkok or nearby provinces where the emergency decree is in place.
She urged voters to turn out en mass for advance voting this Sunday, Jan 26, saying this would be a test for the turnout on Feb 2.
She also called on people, especially in Bangkok, to help monitor the advance polls to ensure a fair and transparent election.
On the Election Commission’s move on Wednesday to ask the Constitution Court to rule on who has the authority to postpone the election, Mrs Thida said it is possible the court will decide in favour of the PDRC.
The court could well rule that the authority rests with caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Such a ruling would be against the 2007 constitution, according to Mrs Tida.