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BANGKOK, Thailand- Thai protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul vowed Saturday to defy an order by the prime minister to break up a week-long demonstration calling for the overthrow of the government.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej ordered the protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to stop barricading a road in Bangkok's historic district, warning that he would deploy police and soldiers to forcibly remove them.
"PAD will not abandon any of you. I will not run away from death. I want to tell you that that whatever happens to me, please take revenge for me," Sondhi told a cheering crowd of 2,000 supporters, with about 150 riot police armed with shields nearby.
"It's our legal right" to protest, PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila told reporters.
"If government decides to use force to disperse the protest, then we have to defend ourselves and we are ready," he said.
Supreme Commander General Boonsrang Niumpradit told reporters that Samak has yet to issue an order mobilising soldiers, but that the military would comply if an order is given.
"I am convinced that the prime minister will use only police forces. He will only use the military if the situation is very critical, because in most cases the result is tragic," he said.
PAD spearheaded demonstrations two years ago against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, eventually leading to a military coup.
The protests have raised fears of a new coup, with PAD accusing Samak of acting as Thaksin's puppet.
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