Govt House cleansed in religious rituals

The prayers were also intended to bring blessings on the compound, which had been besieged by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) for weeks.

Recent inspections at Government House found PAD demonstrators had performed rituals during their occupation.

A Brahma statue, revered by Government House officials, was covered in a black cloth. Some of the statue's eyes were plastered with cement and painted in gold. Some other eyes were removed.

Black mystic symbols were also affixed to many corners of Government House, and there are other traces of rituals.

"We will perform counter-rituals to ask for good luck," Pongsak Siriwong said yesterday as the head of the Government House building-and-security unit.

Pongsak plans to consult Chief Royal Brahmin Phrarajakhru Varma Dhepmuni of Devasthan about conducting the rituals.

"Today a merit-making ceremony in line with Buddhist tradition has taken place. Soon we will have the Brahmin rituals," he said.

PAD demonstrators used the building as the centre for their rallies against two previous prime ministers, Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat, accusing them of being puppets of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The PAD vacated Government House only after the Constitution Court dissolved the People Power Party and banned its executives, including Somchai, from politics for five years.

The Democrat Party, which had been on the opposition bench for years, now leads a new government. Its leader Abhisit Vejjajiva became prime minister on Wednesday.

Caretaker Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul showed up to attend the merit-making ceremony at Government House yesterday. He also smilingly swept the compound as part of Big Cleaning Day, when government officials joined hands to tidy up Government House.

Chaovarat will likely secure a Cabinet seat in an Abhisit-led administration. The Cabinet line-up was being prepared at press time.

Abhisit also came to Government House yesterday and joined in sweeping the floor. The facilities look set to return to a workable state in time to welcome his new Cabinet.

"By restoring Government House to its normal state, we are showing our country's situation is also returning to normal," Abhisit said.

During his two-month stint, Somchai never worked from Government House. Due to the PAD protest, Somchai and his Cabinet had to use a temporary office inside Don Mueang Airport.