BANGKOK, March 6 (UPI) -- Some 50,000 people marched against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a Bangkok rally Sunday, with many pledging to continue protests until he resigns.
Protesters moved from the front of Bangkok's Grand Palace to the Government House, where Thaksin's office is located. The prime minister missed the action, as he was campaigning in the countryside, his traditional stronghold, CNN reported.
The protesters hoped to gather the same number for a Monday rally. Sunday's numbers were based on police estimates.
Thaksin has been accused of corruption and abuse of power, especially over the sale of his family's telecommunications firm in Singapore for $1.9 billion, a deal over which he paid no taxes.
The billionaire has also been accused of bending government policy to benefit his family's business.
Thaksin was re-elected to a second term last year when his Thai Rak Thai party won 377 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives.
His main defense against critics is that he was elected by 19 million voters. On Friday about 100,000 people, mostly bused in from the countryside, rallied in Bangkok to support him.
