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Anti-government protesters hold a large national flag during the protest inside Government House in Bangkok on Thursday.
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29th August, 2008
BANGKOK: Thailand’s embattled prime minister vowed Thursday to end massive rallies against his rule without force—raising the spectre of a prolonged siege of Bangkok’s main government compound.
More than 10,000 protesters barricaded themselves in at Government House for a third day and formed human shields to protect their leaders from arrest in an effort to cripple Samak Sundaravej’s administration and force him from office.
The prime minister, who has pledged to stay in power, said police would not storm the compound but authorities would instead wait for the protesters to give themselves up in an effort to avoid bloodshed.
“Foreign countries are monitoring and keeping a close watch and waiting for a showdown,” Samak told reporters.
“There will be no showdown.”
He said the siege of his main headquarters would not be allowed to drag on forever, but threw the ball into the court of the protest leaders.
“Whenever it ends, it ends—it’s up to them,” he said. “I assign police to do this task without forcibly dispersing the rally.”
Thai courts have ordered protesters to clear out of Government House immediately and issued arrest warrants for nine of the protest leaders, but the anti-Samak alliance remained defiant.
Somsak Kosaisuk, a union leader and protest organiser, said their lawyers would appeal the court order forcing their dispersal.
Chamlong Srimuang, a 73-year-old retired general and key protest leader, vowed not to budge and said organisers would call on more people to join them.
“We still maintain our goals. One: all parties have to commit that they will not amend the constitution at all. Two: the government has to quit,” he told reporters at the makeshift protest camp of tents and umbrellas.
The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)—which despite its name is trying to bring down Samak’s elected government—began its campaign at the end of May, just over three months after the coalition government was formed.
PAD leaders say Samak is a mere figurehead running the country on behalf of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, is barred from holding office and now lives in exile in Britain.
PAD protests helped lead to the putsch that unseated Thaksin, and the entry to government of his ally Samak has infuriated the country’s old power elites in the military and palace.
They also object to Samak’s plans to amend a constitution that was drafted and approved under military rule following the coup.
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