At least 5 injured in blast in Thai rally

BANGKOK, At least five people were injured Sunday night when a bomb was thrown at the stage of an anti- Thaksin group's rally here, which was held to protest against the convicted former Thai prime minister's appointment by Cambodian government.

Although 1,500 policemen had been deployed around the city to maintain order during the rally by The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the blast occurred at around 9 p.m., when Sondhi Limthongkul, the PAD leader, was addressing the group's supporters.

Five people got wounded with a boy's leg severely injured, The Nation online quoted a witness as saying.

A man was reported to have been arrested after throwing the bomb.

By 8:30 p.m. local time, over 10,000 PAD supporters were rallying at Sanam Luang in the center of Bangkok after they officially staged their protest from 4 p.m. local time.

The PAD rally, which was participated by the supporters from both Bangkok and many provinces across the country, was held after Thailand and Cambodia have downgraded their diplomatic relations due to conflict over an appointment of Thaksin as an economic advisor to the Cambodian government and Hun Sen on Nov. 4.

The PAD supporters ranged from the general public, students, employees of state enterprises, war veteran members, non- governmental organizations, to taxi drivers.

The PAD protesters announced that they were united to show the world the Thai people's strength and to protect the country's dignity against Cambodia and Thaksin.

The purpose of this rally is that "we want to communicate to the world, Thais, and Cambodians, and to former Premier Thaksin and the Cambodian Prime Minister that what they are doing are not right, and the Thai people can not take this," Pibhob Dhongchai, one of the PAD core leaders, said at the rally.