An estimated 100,000 or so members of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) took to the streets yesterday in the hope of dislodging the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration and Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda.

Protesters vowed to keep the pressure on until they manage to remove what they see as the elite influence in politics, through rallies that are bound to become lengthy.

Though well short of the 300,000 people protest leaders hoped for, the turnout was large enough as pro-Thaksin Shinawatra protesters effectively shut down a large part of Bangkok, turning it into a sea of red, with more people joining in as the sun set.

Nobody expected as many red shirts to show up outside Prem's official residence in Si Sao Theves, and hurl abuse as they called for his resignation as top adviser to His Majesty the King. Prem and Abhisit were widely attacked while hundreds of police stood guard. The protesters voiced anger at the man who they claim was behind the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin.

A protest leader standing atop a truck in front of Prem's residence gave the privy councillor four choices: "A) to resign; B) to get out; C) not to stay on; D) or all of the above."

Still, the protesters were mixed in whether they could really get rid of Prem, who they believe also pulls strings behind the ruling Democrat Party. The red shirts claim this thwarts the poor and the uneducated from having a real political say.

"I don't think [Prem] will resign," said |a 50-something woman called Suksanguan, who teaches criminal justice at a leading Bangkok university. "But we want to |show him that Thais don't want him. |Though we don't have evidence [that he's behind the coup], we know his traits. We are against him, not the [monarchy] institution. General Prem should no longer stay in the post. Dissolving the House would also be the best solution. Hold a quick [general] election and let us accept the winner, whoever it is."

Suraphan, a 60-something former mechanic, said: "Everyone is clinging on to Prem [to manipulate politics from behind the scenes]. I pity him but I don't empathise with him."

But Chaiyaphon Tarunadamrongdej, 59, a retired teacher from Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, believes Prem will resign. "It will be more graceful. If not we will chase him away in two or three days."

The abuse hurled at Prem was more heated than the insults flung at Abhisit and some protesters even made fun of Prem's alleged gender orientation. A picture of Prem's face was posted on the exit of the nearby Army Club with the words "Beast from Hell" written underneath.

Despite the huge number of protesters at Government House and Prem's residence nearby, protesters near Theves bridge realised yesterday was not the "D-Day" that would force Prem or the government out.

"Though we were not victorious today, please call your friends, brothers and sisters [to come and join us]. If they don't, we can't achieve equality and democracy," a red-shirt protester declared.

The Student Federation of Thailand (SFT) issued a statement yesterday saying the government was being "dishonest to the principle of democracy" in reference to the military's role in forming the Abhisit government.

The SFT called on the government to dissolve the House and warned that: "No conservative power can obstruct the wheel of human history which seeks to better the lives of all."

The SFT also slammed the government for what they see as a delayed judicial process against leaders of the People's Alliance Against Democracy (PAD), which shut down Bangkok's two airports last November.

The crowds at Government House were thick and walking under the hot sun was |a challenge to one and all. Some police resting near Government House's Gate One removed name tags from their khaki uniforms. Some sales staff at the Bangkok Cooperative on Sri Ayudhaya Road were also seen sporting red.