PAD gears for siege

a group of People’s Alliance for Democracy supporters in Ratchaburi province join a local rally yesterday before commuting to Bangkok today.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday told police to refrain from using force against anti-government protesters, but the number of crowd-control officers will likely be tripled with a view to dispersing the planned rally in front of Government House today.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) vowed to surround the nation's highest office today as planned, while state-enterprise labour unions said thousands of members would join the protest.

Army commander-in-chief General Anupong Paochinda said the premier had reiterated that police should be patient and avoid using force.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand Index yesterday dropped 3.04 per cent to close at 742.46 points on worries about today's siege of Government House.

Meanwhile, Samak ordered his meetings scheduled at Government House today to be shifted to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee will also move his meetings from Government House to the Finance Ministry.

The Government House gates were locked yesterday evening, and most personnel were asked to take a leave of absence today, because they may be unable to leave the compound due to the protest, said Loiluan Bunnag, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister.

Samak said the Internal Security Operations Command, of which he is chairman, would leave security matters at Government House to the police.

General Anupong is optimistic the situation will remain under control and that there will be no violence. He said Samak had not said anything about resorting to the special administrative powers under an emergency law to deal with the protests.

"The military will not be involved with political issues, which should be solved politically," Anupong said.

Chamlong Srimuang, a PAD leader, said the group's rally would move peacefully from its current location at the Makkhawan Bridge to outside Government House this afternoon.

"We will not enter Government House even if the gate is left open. We don't want to seize Government House; we just want to be there as a show of force," he said.

PAD supporters from all over the Kingdom arrived in groups to join the rally yesterday.

At least 10,000 state enterprise workers have promised to join, said the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation secretary-general Sawit Kaewwan.

"We insist if the government uses force, we will immediately start civil-disobedience measures. We will stop working and cut off tap water and electricity for state agencies. We'll also allow free rides on public buses and trains. We'll continue with the protest until the government backs down," the union leader said.

Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart met national police chief General Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Assawin Kwanmuang and several senior officers at Metropolitan Police headquarters yesterday.

Assawin said city police had asked five schools near Government House to close in order to protect students. He also urged motorists and commuters to avoid the area.

A police source said the force was told to triple the number of crowd-control officers today and that there was a high possibility the police would try to disperse the protest.