Thai police on Sunday ordered thousands of anti-government protesters who have laid siege to the city's airports to disperse, banning gatherings of more than five people and warning offenders would be jailed or fined.
The stakes rose as thousands of pro-government supporters also rallied in the Thai capital, their first significant show of strength since the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) launched its "final battle" on Monday to unseat the government.
Police vowed to keep the two sides apart, but when pro-government forces held a rally in the same part of Bangkok in September, they later marched on PAD lines and fighting ensued.
Flights in and out of Suvarnabhumi International airport and the mostly-domestic Don Muang airport have been paralysed since late Tuesday and Thursday respectively by the PAD siege. The tourist-dependent economy, already suffering from the global financial crisis, has taken a severe battering. Finance Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech said the crisis could cut economic growth to 2 percent from 4.9 percent in 2007, the Bangkok Post said.
The airport blockades are the latest escalation in the PAD's battle to unseat Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who they accuse of being a front for former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thaksin, who is Somchai's brother-in-law, was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and lives in exile. He still has strong support among the urban and rural poor, and thousands of them were streaming into the capital on Sunday to attend the pro-Thaksin Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) rally.
By early evening at least 20,000 had gathered, most wearing red that is associated with their cause. They carried Thai flags, red flags and red heart signs with Thaksin's picture. "We love Thaksin. He is our hero," said one banner.
COURT RULING LOOMS:
Veera Musikapong, a DAAD leader, told the Nation newspaper one focus of the rally would be the alleged bias of the courts.
The Constitutional Court has moved with uncharacteristic speed to conclude a vote fraud case on Tuesday, widely expected to lead to the disbanding of Somchai's People Power Party (PPP) and two other partners in the ruling coalition.
"It is obvious that there is interference with justice. It was well planned, and this is a concealed coup," Veera said. If the court dissolves the three parties, Somchai and other leaders would be barred from politics and many cabinet ministers would have to step down.
The chaos caused by the airport sit-ins has sparked rumours of a military coup, even though the army chief has said he will not seize control. The political chaos has worried Thailand's neighbours, who are due to meet there next month for a regional summit. Surin Pitsuwan, head of Southeast Asia's 10-nation grouping, ASEAN, said on Sunday a postponment may be wise.
Somchai, who refuses to quit and embarked on a rural roadshow on Sunday to drum up support for his government, was expected to make a final decision on the summit on Tuesday.
STRANDED MUSLIMS TO MAKE HAJ:
Deputy Prime Minister Olarn Chaipravat said the damage to Thailand's image, at a peak time for tourism, may cut arrivals by half to 6-7 million in 2009 and threatens a million jobs.
The government is shuttling tourists to U-Tapao, a Vietnam War-era naval airbase 150 km (90 miles) east of Bangkok, as an alternative landing site for airlines, but travellers have complained of massive delays and confusion. There was one bit of good news. Around 460 Thai Muslims who have been sleeping at Suvarnabhumi since their flight to Mecca was cancelled by the protests are to do their pilgrimage after all, thanks to a chartered Iran Air flight from U-Tapao.
"We are leaving today, finally," said Yusuf Waedaramae, 33, who was travelling with his mother to the haj. Despite Sunday's police order for the airport protesters to disperse, it was unclear how the order would be enforced.
Around 200 police in riot gear were spotted on Sunday, but they made no move toward the PAD barricades. Police want to avoid a repeat of October 7, when two people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes outside parliament. In addition, some PAD supporters are armed and were happy to shoot at police lines last month, suggesting any attempt to remove them by force could result in scores of casualties, increasing the chances of military intervention.
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