The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
November 26, 2008

Thai Protesters Seize Airport
-----------------------------



The head of Thailand’s powerful army has called for new elections after
thousands of anti-government protesters shut down Bangkok’s main
airport, stranding thousands of travelers. Thai Army chief Anupong
Paochinda urged the government today to dissolve parliament and called
for new elections to end the political crisis.

Anupong Paochinda: “This is not a pressure that we are putting upon the
government, but we are suggesting that the government should let the
people have another chance to make a decision on the future of their
country in a new election.”

Protesters from the People’s Alliance for Democracy have intensified
their efforts to topple the government in recent days. On Monday,
demonstrators forced Thailand’s parliament to shut down. On Tuesday, the
protesters took control of the airport, the eighteenth largest airport
in the world.

Chaiwat Sinthuwong: “We don’t only stop the government from doing their
illegitimate works. We are doing other things to put more pressure on
the government and campaigning to get more consensus from Thai people
that it is time for this government to leave.”