Thai protesters giving blood to throw at official buildings

The supporters of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) movement queued up to have their blood drawn by nurses.

Red Shirt leaders vowed to collect "1 million cubic centimeters" (1,000 liters) of blood to splash at the Government House by Tuesday evening.

They asked each protester to donate between two and 20 teaspoons — 10 to 100 cubic centimeters — of blood. Their goal is to collect 1,000 liters, which would require donations from between 10,000 and 100,000 people.

The UDD leaders said more blood would be tossed at the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Party and the prime minister's residence in the next two days, if the protesters' demands were not met.

Weng Tojirakarn, a UDD leader and doctor, said the plan would test Mr Abhisit's conscience.

"Now that people have agreed to sacrifice their blood like this, how can he not make a sacrifice by dissolving the parliament?" Mr Weng said.

Dr. Ubonwon Charoonruangrit, a senior official of the Thai Red Cross Society, expressed concern about the risks of untrained people drawing blood. She also warned of the effects on people who have been out protesting in the heat with little sleep.

She slammed the tactic as wasteful, saying 1 million cc of blood "can save many lives."

The Nursing and Midwifery Council is threatening to punish nurses who agree to collect blood from red-shirted protesters.

"We will consider punishing them on a case-by-case basis," council president Prof Vijit Sriruphan said yesterday. "They should know that collecting blood is only done for research or medical purposes."

The professor added that the council would not go as far as cutting nurses' professional licences.