Thais march on Singapore embassy in thousands

BANGKOK, Mar 21 (Reuters) About 5,000 people marched on the Singapore embassy in Bangkok today to press a campaign to oust Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as the Election Commission said it could not postpone a snap election he called.

''Thaksin get out,'' they chanted as leaders called for the reversal of the tax-free 1.9 billion dollars sale by Thaksin's relatives of Shin Corp, the telecommunications empire he founded.

''On behalf of the Thai people, we politely request you stop colluding with Thaksin Shinawatra in raping the assets of Thailand,'' campaign leader Sondhi Limthongkul said through loudspeakers aimed at the embassy building.

Singapore has shrugged off two previous, smaller demonstrations and said they would not affect the relationship between the two countries.

Meanwhile Election Commission chairman Wassana Permlap, who had promised a decision this week on whether to postpone the April 2 election Thaksin called three years early, said that decision was not within its powers.

Only Thaksin, who has spent most of the last two weeks campaigning in the countryside where his support is solid, could make that decision, Wassana said.

Reuters PR DB1021