PTV leaders confront generals

Compiled by BangkokPost.com from new reports

Protesters linked to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Sunday delivered a letter to the Council for National Security, demanding that the CNS leaders resign and immediately hold elections.

Members of the so-called Democracy Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) submitted the letter to Maj Gen Veeran Chantasatkosol, secretary general of the Thai army, amid tight security in front of Army headquarters on Sunday morning.

"We come here today to ask for the junta to resign, bring back the 1997 constitution and hold elections as soon as possible," said Veera Musikapong, one of the leaders of the nightly PTV rallies against coup leaders.

The group, set up by former senior members of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party, have vowed to hold demonstrations every day until next Sunday - the anniversary of the end of absolute monarchy and the transition to a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

The demands came a day after several thousand protesters gathered at Sanam Luang Plaza at the centre of Bangkok, in another of the daily rallies by Thaksin supporters.

"We want the Council for National Security (the coup leaders' official name) members to resign and hold an election immediately," said Weng Tojirakan, one of the nine rally leaders who submitted the demand letter.

There was no official response from the CNS or the government it appointed. CNS chief and Army commander Sonthi Boonyaratkalin has said he will not resign "because I have done nothing wrong."

The demands are the latest effort by pro-Thaksin forces to increase pressure on coup leaders - putting Bangkok on edge as the capital swirls with rumors of more military crackdowns and coup attempts.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Saturday said he was ready to talk with Thaksin.

In his message to a Friday night rally at Sanam Luang, Thaksin decried restrictions on politics and civil liberties imposed since the coup and called for the restoration of democracy.