Large anti-govt demo against police brutality, call for PM to quit

(17 Oct 2008) 1. Wide top shot of large anti-government crowd marching along Silom Road, the main artery of the central Business District in Bangkok 2. Close-up of members of crowd chanting and clapping 3. Close-up of marchers wearing medical garb 4. Protesters marching past with people cheering them from the side of the road 5. Members of the crowd carrying batons 6. Wide of crowd marching holding posters of woman killed in earlier riots, and the police chief 7. Wide of marching crowd as people clap 8. Wide of marching crowd; shot pans to show length of crowd 9. Close of crowd members 10. Wide of poster of the dead woman; tilt down to poster of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat as "Most Wanted" 11. Woman carrying "Most Wanted" poster of Prime Minister Somchai, others slapping the picture 12. Wide of police watching 13. Close of policeman leaning on his riot shield 14. Wide of marching crowd 15. SOUNDBITE (English) Protester, vox pop: "We do the right thing, I think we do the right thing. We protect the country from the evil government." 16. SOUNDBITE (English) Protester, vox pop: "We will have a revolution by the people themselves, not by the military. We need a new political (system). We break the circle of the hell." 17. Wide top shot of crowd marching along road STORYLINE Thousands of protesters blocked traffic in central Bangkok, accusing Thailand's prime minister of ordering the violent suppression of an earlier demonstration in which hundreds were injured and demanding his resignation. They carried pictures of a female student who died in rioting last week and others featuring Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and the chief of police, blaming them for the death. Members of the crowd carried batons and appeared to be part of a security detail within the anti-government crowd to avoid repeats of several recent clashes involving supporters and opponents of the government. Crowds of shoppers stopped to cheer the marchers as they moved slowly down the street, bringing traffic to a standstill. The protest came amid a deepening political crisis that has nearly paralyzed the government. A government spokesman said Somchai abruptly cancelled his planned meetings Friday and instead scheduled talks with his coalition partners. The decision spurred speculation the prime minister might resign or dissolve Parliament. The influential army chief, General Anupong Paochinda, strongly hinted Thursday that Somchai should step down because of the violent confrontation between police and protesters outside Parliament last week. Police used tear gas to clear the street, setting off a series of street battles in which the young woman protester was killed and more than 400 people injured. The casualties have been blamed on the use of faulty explosive tear gas canisters. The People's Alliance for Democracy has called for Somchai's resignation since he took office last month. They have branded him a puppet of his brother-in-law, deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...