DAAD takes on military

About 25 members of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) led by Wiphuthalaeng Pattanaphumethai, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Chinnawat Haboonphad gathered in front of the Supreme Command headquarters on Chaeng Wattana Road at 10.30am.

They submitted an open letter to duty officer Lt-Colonel Kueakul Buathes, criticising armed forces commander, General Songkitti Jakkabatra, for going on TV with other top brass and the police chief earlier this month to demand Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's resignation.

The letter called on the supreme commander to declare he would "stand by the people" in preserving democracy, and on the military to promise to stop all forms of meddling in politics.

The DAAD urged the Supreme Command to investigate reports that armed plainclothes military officers had taken part in rallies of the People's Alliance for Democracy at Government House.

Wiphuthalaeng told reporters that the DAAD feared the military would use Somchai's absence while in Beijing attending the Asia-Europe Meeting to snatch the reins of power.

The DAAD said it would visit other military agencies to make the same appeal, holding demonstrations at Sanam Luang at 5pm today, and next Thursday and Friday, to prepare for "countering a military takeover and to warn the military against launching another putsch."

But the group said it would not join former deputy police chief Salang Bunnag in laying siege to Government House today.