Activists continue to hold activities to remind the public of the deaths at Ratchaprasong and to resist the Emergency Decree.

On 1 Aug, groups of activists, including Social Move, Red Sunday Poets, and Network of Social Activists for Democracy, held various activities at the 14 Oct Memorial at Khok Wua intersection on Ratchadamnoen Rd.

The activities included a public forum, a poetry recital, talk shows, and musical and drama performances.
Participants were invited to sign a petition to abolish the security laws, including the 1914 Martial Law, 2005 Emergency Decree, and 2007 Internal Security Act.  The internet-based organization iLaw is running a campaign to collect 10,000 signatures, as specified by the Constitution, to have these laws abolished.

There was an exhibit of political cartoons, paintings and photographs, which were also auctioned to raise funds for the People’s Centre for Information on the April – May 2010 Crackdowns (PCI) to provide legal assistance for those arrested and detained. 

According to human rights activist Kwanravee Wangudom who works for the Centre, 33,250 baht was raised from the auction.

About 100 policemen were deployed at the Memorial for the whole event.  In the afternoon, there was a small scuffle when police tried to arrest a man in black who used a megaphone to criticize the government for the crackdowns, but were obstructed by the participants.  The police finally gave up.

At about 5.30 pm, about 500 red shirts and activists moved to the nearby Democracy Monument for an activity which they had been holding for a few weeks already. 

They tied red cloth around the base of the monument.  After singing the National Anthem at 6 pm, they lay down on the ground, writhing and groaning as if they were shot by snipers.  Some of them shouted ‘Here, people were killed!’

According to the organizer of the activity Sombat Boon-ngamanong, the next Red Sunday activity for Sunday 8 Aug, entitled ‘Red Runner’, will be held at the Peace Park near the Victory Monument, starting at 5 pm.  Participants are asked to wear red shirts, shorts and running shoes, ready to run for exercise.

Sombat said that the weekly Red Sunday activity was meant to be brief and relaxing.  Feedback so far was pretty good.  It allowed people to express themselves, and encouraged them to dare to wear red.  Today’s activity attracted the greatest number of people so far.  

He said that the government tried to compromise by allowing people to express themselves symbolically, and it should continue to do so.  This activity was brief, taking only 15 minutes, in contrast to the People’s Alliance for Democracy’s protest in front of the UNESCO office.  If the government considers the PAD activity permissible under the Emergency Decree, the Red Shirts should also be allowed to conduct their activities.

'Aerobic dance' Red Sunday on 25 July, Lumpini Park