BANGKOK, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The protesters from anti-government United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Saturday afternoon officially started gathering in capital Bangkok.

    The mass anti-government rally started at about 13.00 p.m., local time, at Cha-mi Ma-richet bridge in front of the Government House in a bid to demand a progress report concerning a royal pardon sought by the UDD group for ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

    On August 17 the red-shirted people submitted the appeal to a representative of the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, which was later forwarded to the government for further consideration.

    About 6,600 security men have been deployed at the Prime Minister's Office compound and other important state buildings as they have also laid blockages and barbed-wire around the Government House.

    Ahead of the rally, from Thursday (Oct. 15) the Internal Security Act (ISA) has been enforced in Dusit district until Oct. 25 in order to maintain law and order at the mass rally site.