Final battle begins?

At the same time, Chavarat Charnveerakul, the deputy prime minister, has appointed Kowit Wattana, the interior minister, to devise a plan to reclaim the government office in Don Muang from protesters.

Chavarat yesterday blamed the authorities for allowing the protesters to besiege the temporary seat of government in Don Muang because the government has already lost the Government House.

Chamlong Srimuang, the leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, retreated to the Government House and called upon his fellow protesters to lay siege to the government office in Don Muang early this morning again.

The protesters have faced a setback in their strategy of the final showdown, in which they hoped to topple the Somchai government in a swoop. But their aggression was met with carrots rather than sticks by the Somchai government, which instructed the police to avoid any clashes and give way to the protesters.

Without a fight and bloodshed, there was no cause for any political accidents to happen. Without military support, the protesters would have no chance of forcing radical political change.

 The yellow-shirt protesters began to lay siege at different locations early yesterday morning by marching from the Government House to Parliament, the Metropolitan Police Command Centre, the Finance Ministry and the Chat Thai Party's office.

The number of the protesters was estimated at between 20,000 to 30,000, fewer than the previous major gatherings.

 To their surprise, the police did virtually nothing to hinder their advance as they blocked Parliament at the Royal Plaza.

House Speaker Chai Chidchob postponed a joint parliamentary session. The protesters quickly declared victory by claiming that they had succeeded in preventing Parliament from amending the charter to pave the way for ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return to power.

Chai later on met with Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Charnveerakul, Prasopsuk Boondej, the Senate president, and Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat leader, to agree to postpone the joint parliamentary session to Dec 8-9 to ratify the agreements that Thailand would need to commit to the Asean Summit.

Pipob Thongchai, a PAD leader, reiterated that the protesters would not resort to violence at any place.

The protesters retreated back to the Government House, which they had been occupying since August, while others made their way to Don Muang to besiege the temporary seat of government there. Again, the police did not give any hard time to the protesters, who easily occupied the front part of the office building of Don Muang.

A source said Somchai Wongsawat, the prime minister, who is now in Peru attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Meeting, called up Gen Anupong Paochinda, the army chief, to discuss the crisis situation. They agreed that authorities should not try to resist the protesters and should refrain from arming themselves to avoid violent clashes.