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Published on April 26, 2008

Daily Xpress

A second "academic gathering" organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy yesterday heightened animosity between supporters and opponents of the coalition government's Constitution amendments.

However, this time police were better prepared. They barricaded footpaths outside Thammasat University, where the PAD gathering took place, and on one edge of Sanam Luang, across a two-lane road from the university.

It was there crowds of Constitution-amendment supporters gathered, shouting and cursing PAD leaders for their intention of bringing down an elected government for the sake of a "dictatorial constitution".

PAD supporters gathered on the Thammasat side, angrily retorting.

The confrontation grew tense. Patriotic songs were played repeatedly and loudly, including "Rak Kan Wai Therd", ("Let's Love One Another"). They drowned out the chants of pro-amendment demonstrators.

Pro-amendment demonstrators slammed the police for siding with "thugs who robbed the country".

They also threatened to storm the university and "make it the last PAD gathering".

Several closed-circuit cameras were installed in and around the university, and 500 officers kept the sides separated.

Shortly after 7pm, catapults were fired into the university, striking the main auditorium, where the PAD gathering was under way. Later, a man in his early 20s threw a stone from inside the campus at protesters in Sanam Luang. He was overpowered by PAD supporters and handed to police.

The rain gets them

Shortly before 8pm, the number of Sanam Luang protesters dwindled to less than 50, thanks to heavy rain.

Inside, thousands had gathered to hear PAD leaders and others speak.

Prasong Soonsiri, who headed the Constitution Drafting Committee, believes the charter does not cause the perceived constitutional problems. "They're rather problems for certain politicians," he says.

"After several crises in the past, it's time now for us to face another difficulty. It's time to fight to the end. We have to rely on ourselves, and I believe the military is not siding with bad politicians. It's time we rose to fight those bad politicians," Prasong says.

The anti-amendment PAD's previous gathering was at the same venue last month. It too drew considerable opposition.