THAI RED-SHIRTS RALLY TO MARK ANNIVERSARY OF COUP

THAI "RED SHIRTS" THAKSIN SUPPORTERS
RALLY TO MARK 3rd ANNIVERSARY OF COUP D' ÉTAT

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters of exiled former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra braved floods and torrential rain on Saturday in a rally to mark the third year since the billionaire's overthrow by the military. The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), many from Thaksin's rural strongholds, massed in stormy conditions at Bangkok's Royal Plaza close to Prem's residence, dressed in raincoats and huddled under umbrellas in water almost half a foot (15 cm) deep. Despite the presence of more than 6,000 riot police and soldiers, about 20,000 Thaksin supporters, there were no reports of clashes at the demonstration.

Thaksin supporters, known as "red shirts", rallied to demand the dissolution of parliament and the resignation of the most senior royal advisor, Prem Tinsulanonda, whom they accuse of masterminding the coup that toppled Thaksin. This demonstration which was the fifth big show of support for the former telecoms tycoon since an army crackdown on the UDD in April, showing the resilience of the pro-Thaksin movement. Despite living in exile after fleeing ahead of a two-year prison sentence for graft, the twice-elected Thaksin remains a major political stakeholder in Thailand because of his vast war chest and his influence over the rural masses. Thailand has been locked in four years of political stalemate fuelled by violent rallies, assassination attempts, dissolution of political parties and the seizure of Bangkok's main airports, which has left the country of 67 million deeply polarised.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Raja means king or the ruler. Here is also regulative principle. Why a king is accepted? Why a governor is accepted? Why a president is ...? Even in this day of democracy - we have abolished the system of monarchy - but still, they select somebody to become a monarch, a king, or to occupy the post of the king. That is called president. Why? Because unless there is one head, or on the head of the government, who can actually control ... control means whether citizens are following, executing the rules and regulation, the law of the state. Therefore a certain man, qualified man, who is ... who enjoys the confidence of the people, he is accepted as the king. This is the position. So such president, king, or the executive head, must be a saintly person. Therefore here it is said, pariksin nama rajarsih. Rajarsi means those who are on the top of the government, he must be rsi, saintly person.

Srila A.C. BV Swami Prabhupada:
Lecture on The Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.36 -
Entitled: "Kali-yuga - Disagree with Guru" - Tokyo, January 30, 1974.