About 30,000 anti-government protesters gather in Bangkok for the first major rally since lifting of state of emergency.

About 30,000 supporters of Thailand's “red shirt” movement have gathered in the capital, Bangkok, demanding the release of the group's leaders who were detained in the wake of last year's deadly violence.
Sunday's anti-government protest appeared to be peaceful at large, but a brief scuffle occurred in the up market Ratchaprasongan shopping area where police had tried to seal off the main intersection with barricades.
A few hundred protesters hurled plastic water bottles and pushed past the police, who stepped aside to avoid further conflict.
More than 1,000 police were deployed across the city.
Jatuporn Prompan, a red shirt leader who avoided arrest because he has parliamentary immunity, vowed to hold “frequent and symbolic gatherings” twice a month - a change from the large sit-in last year that lasted 10 weeks and prompted a violent crackdown.
“We have learned a lesson that big gatherings will not lead to the result we want,” Jatuporn said.
About 90 people were killed and more than 1,400 were wounded in the March-May unrest, as the protesters tried to force Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, to call early elections.
(Source: Aljazeera)