Red Shirts collecting blood from volunteers, target one million cc

BANGKOK, March 16 (TNA) – Thai anti-government demonstrators on Tuesday began collecting blood from volunteers, targeting  a goal of one million cc before pouring it at all gates of Government House as part of their plan to intensify their campaign to bring down the administration of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva after he rejected their demand to dissolve the lower house of Parliament and call new elections.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) announced on Monday that they would collect blood from 100,000 volunteers — 10 cubic centimetres (cc) each — to achieve a total target of one million cc.

From 8am the Red Shirt volunteers were queuing for basic medical check-ups before donating their blood.

UDD core leaders Veera Musikapong, Weng Tojirakarn and Natthawut Saikua led the blood giving.

Mr Natthawut earlier affirmed the safety of the blood donation process and said the group would continue as planned to get one million cc of blood on Tuesday evening.

The blood would then be poured at every entrance of Government House, he said, adding that the UDD would step up its campaign everyday until the prime minister dissolves Parliament even it would take longer than the four days announced earlier.

If their demand is still ignored, another million cc of blood will be collected and protesters blood will be poured at the ruling Democrat Party Headquarters and then another one million cc will be poured at Mr Abhisit’s home in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area, Mr Natthawut said.

Dr Weng, a medical doctor, said the collection of 10 CC of blood would have no impact on the physical well-being of the demonstrators. He added the blood collected would be added with concentrated physiological saline solution to sanitize the blood.

He also asserted that the needles and medical equipment used in the process were clean and sterile.

The medical staff from various hospitals, public and private had come to help in blood collecting process, he said, stressing that they came by themselves, and not representing their hospitals.

Tens of thousands of Red Shirt demonstrators led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) gathered Monday at the 11th Infantry Regiment where the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) is coordinating the government’s response to the Red Shirt rally. Mr Abhisit rejected their demand, saying his government was legitimately elected, but would not apply force against the demonstrators. (TNA)