Thousands protest in Thailand's capital against government's amnesty bill

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  Anti-government demonstrators wave Thai national flags during a march in Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators took part in the peaceful rally against the government-proposed amnesty bill on the capital's main streets.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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  Anti-government demonstrators march rally in front Democracy monument in Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators took part in the peaceful rally against the government-proposed amnesty bill on the capital's main streets.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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  Anti-government demonstrators fill up a street during a march rally in Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators took part in the peaceful rally against the government-proposed amnesty biil on the capital's main streets. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong) (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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  Anti-government demonstrators fill up a street during a rally in Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators took part in the peaceful rally against the government-proposed amnesty bills on the capital's main streets. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong) (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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  Anti-government demonstrators fill up a street during a march rally in front of Emerald Buddha temple in Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators took part in the peaceful rally against the government-proposed amnesty bill on the capital's main streets.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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BANGKOK –  Thousands of people have marched in Thailand's capital and blocked a major road to protest an amnesty bill they say is designed to bring former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra back from overseas exile.

More than 1,000 people blew whistles and temporarily halted traffic in Bangkok's financial district of Silom at lunchtime Monday to protest the legislation, which was approved by the lower house of Parliament on Friday.

Several thousand others joined a peaceful march by the opposition Democrat Party in another part of the city.

The Democrat Party says the legislation is intended to whitewash Thaksin's alleged crimes and allow his return.

After being overthrown in a 2006 military coup, Thaksin fled into exile in 2008 to avoid serving jail time on a corruption conviction.