The Philippine Online Chronicles

Intending to splatter government headquarters with blood as a symbol of their grievances, anti-government demonstrators in Thailand have begun donating their own blood.

Hundreds of protesters, who have been tagged "Red Shirts" due to their chosen attire, queued up to have their blood drawn by medical workers. Their leaders aim to collect one million cubic centimeters of blood, or 1,000 liters, which will then be spilled at the entrance to Government House at 6:00 p.m. today (1100 GMT) if Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva continues to refuse to dissolve Parliament.

"This blood belongs to fighters for democracy. What is its color? Red!" an announcer shouted while protest leaders were having their blood drawn on a stage. Nearby, lines of blood donors formed outside a white tent.

Among the first in line were several orange-clad Buddhist monks, whose participation in political activities is prohibited by law.

Abhisit had already rejected calls for his resignation and the holding of new elections on Monday, but said that his government was open to dialogue and was ready to listen to the demonstrators. He then blanketed the capital in security forces. According to BBC News, military leaders have said that they will strive to be gentle and flexible as the protests continue.

The demonstrators are loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had been overthrown during a military coup in 2006 because of alleged corruption and abuse of power.

Tens of thousands of Red Shirts have been marching in the streets of Bangkok since the weekend, claiming that the present government is illegitimate and should be replaced.

Protest organizers asked each demonstrator to donate anywhere between two to 20 teaspoons (10 to 100 cubic centimeters) of blood, and said they would guard against anyone suffering from weak or dizzy spells in the heat. Collecting 1,000 liters means getting blood from about 10,000 to 100,000 people, which is roughly the peak size of the protest crowd.

The call for blood, which protest leader Veera Musikaponghave called a "sacrificial offering" showing sincere love for the nation, has sparked concerns about wastefulness and hygiene among health authorities, the Red Cross, and Thaksin himself.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council has threatened to punish nurses who agree to collect blood from the Red Shirts. Professor Vijit Sriruphan, the president of the council, said that the nurses should know "that collecting blood is only done for research or medical purposes." She pointed out that the demonstrators would be put at risk because the medical devices could be contaminated.

Dr. Ubonwon Charoonruangrit, a senior official of the Thai Red Cross Society, also expressed worry over the dangers involved in having untrained people draw and handle blood. He added that one million cc of blood could "save many lives."

Commander Dr. Ubonwan Jarunreungrit, the deputy director of the National Blood Center of the Thai Red Cross Society, said that if the needle was put in the wrong position, a puncture could cause paralysis. She also warned that if an artery is punctured, great blood loss could result and donors would suffer shock.

Protestors have brushed off such concerns, as trained medical personnel have volunteered to draw the blood.

Five hundred medical workers, including doctors and nurses, would be mobilized to draw blood from red-shirt demonstrators, said Dr. Weng Tojirakarn, a leader of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD).

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