BANGKOK, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The anti-government movement People's Alliance
for Democracy (PAD) declared a victory as its besiege on establishments of
importance has forced a scheduled parliamentary session to be canceled, though
the embattled premier maintained he would not resign amid mounting pressure.
The thousands of PAD protesters who blocked all access to the Parliament compound in the morning had dispersed from the site in central Bangkok after Parliament President Chai Chidchob made a phone announcement to cancel the joint House-Senate session originally planned to start at 9:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) Monday.
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Anti-government protestors led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrate near the parliament complex in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, Nov. 24, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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They then in the afternoon moved to the Don Mueang airport, some 25
kilometers from city center, where the government led by Prime Minister Somchai
Wongsawat used as a temporary administration seat after the PAD occupied the
Government House on Aug. 26.
Other troops of protesters who besieged office buildings of ministries and
Metropolitan Police headquarters also retreated to join the rally to the Don
Mueang airport.
The PAD has vowed to stay rallying there until Friday to receive the Prime
Minister Somchai who was expected to be back in Bangkok by then from a summit
meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima, Peru, mounting pressure to
topple his government, which the PAD called a proxy of ex-premier Thaksin
Shinawatra.
After the PAD protesters started marching to the airport, the
government had to cut off a special Cabinet meeting, which was
started meeting at about 10.30 a.m. (0330 GMT) reportedly to evaluate the
situation.
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Anti-government protestors led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrate in front of the parliament complex in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, Nov. 24, 2008.((Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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The PAD besiege, launched on early Monday morning, was aimed at, as
declared, blocking the Somchai-led government from starting the legislative
procedures to amend the Constitution 2007 in what the PAD describe as efforts to
bring Thaksin and his allies back to power.
PM Somchai later spoke from Lima that he would not resign under the PAD
pressure.
He insisted that his government was democratically elected, so he would not
consider quitting the post.
He reaffirmed that he would exercise utmost restraint and hope the two
sides could talk out of the stalemate.
Thousands of PAD-led protesters, together with vehicles with loud speakers,
started their march towards the Parliament compound in central Bangkok in early
morning and by 8:00 a.m. (0100 GMT) have blocked all accesses to the compound
and cut off the electric power inside it.
Other protesters also marched to besiege other destinations including
office buildings of Chart Thai Party, one of the six coalition parties in the
government, and Finance Ministry, Metropolitan Police headquarters.
The protesters broke police's barricades set up around the government
establishments almost effortlessly with police not making a hard try to stop
them.
The PAD called the besiege after a grenade blast last week killed one PAD
member and wounded 23.
Earlier on Oct. 7, the PAD launched a similar besiege to the Parliament
where Somchai made a government policy speech. The confrontation turned violent
after police shot tear gas to disperse the protesters, causing two deaths and
some 400 injuries.
Thai protestors besiege Parliament complex, Parliament session called off
BANGKOK, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- A scheduled Monday Parliament session was called off following thousands of anti-government protestors led
by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) began the besiege of
the Parliament complex and other establishments in a showdown effort to bring the
"Thaksin-proxy" government down.
Parliament President Chai Chidchob had to make a phone announcement to cancel the joint House-Senate session originally planned to start at 9:30 a.m. (0230GMT) Monday. Full story
4 grenades explode near Thailand's anti-government TV station
BANGKOK, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Four grenades exploded near the anti-government ASTV satellite television station at Bangkok's Banglampoo area on Monday's early morning but no fatalities or injuries were reported. Full story
Thai PAD protesters block Parliament
BANGKOK, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of anti-government protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have blocked all the gates of the Parliament Complex in Bangkok, continuing their demanding for the Parliament to stop amending the Charter. Full story
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