BANGKOK, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- A planned government
policy address by Thailand's newly-elected Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and
a following parliament debate had to be postponed for another day after
anti-government demonstrators besieged the Parliament in central Bangkok Monday
morning.
Parliament President Chai Chidchob first phoned
reporters at a press room after 10:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) to announce that the
policy debate session, originally scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) and
to last two days, will be postponed to 2:00 p.m. (0700 GMT).
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva speaks during a news conference at the Democrat Party
headquarter in Bangkok Dec. 29, 2008. Thousands of anti-government
protesters blockaded Thailand's parliament on Monday, forcing Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to delay his maiden policy speech as the
economy teeters on the brink of recession. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
Chai then delayed the session to 5:00 p.m. (1000 GMT)
after the failure of negotiations with protesters, who blocked accesses to the
parliament compound from early Monday morning.
By evening, he sent SMSs to MPs and senators,
informing them that the debate has been postponed to 9:30 a.m. (0230 GMT)
Tuesday.
The postponement was decided after thousands of
red-shirt demonstrators, who supported former coup-ousted premier Thaksin
Shinawatra, besieged the Parliament from early hours of the day in attempts to
blockade the new government policy address due to be delivered on Monday
morning.
The protesters in red, led by Democratic Alliance
Against Dictatorship (DAAD), had gathered from Sunday afternoon at Sanam Luang
(Royal Field) square in central Bangkok and moved to rally around the Parliament
compound after midnight.
On early Monday morning, they surrounded the gates to
the Parliament and allowed people to get into the compound one by one.
Supporters of former Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra wave a Thai flag and hold a banner during a protest
against the government in Bangkok December 28, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
Similar tactics of besieging the Parliament had been
used by supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), or referred as
the "yellow-shirt" people, to block the previous premier Somchai Wongsawat from
delivering the government policy speech on Oct. 7, in an attempt to pressure the
Somchai government to step down.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Theugsubhan said
negotiation was underway between the government and the DAAD protest leaders,
including Jatuporn Promphun and Veera Musikapong.
Suthep Thaugsuban reiterated that the government will
not use force against the red-shirt protesters.
Suthep was speaking after chairing an urgent meeting
with Police chief Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan and City police chief Pol Lt Gen
Suchart Muenkaew.
The protest leaders said the Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva and MPs could walk into the compound.
The DAAD called on the Abhisit government to dissolve
the Parliament for a snap general election.
Some 3,000 police were deployed to keep security
around the compound. Police earlier released leaflets to the protesters, warning
against violent actions by the protesters.
By laws, a government has to deliver policy statement
within 15days. For Abhisit government, which took office on Dec. 22, it has to
do within Jan. 5, 2009.
The DAAD leaders have threatened to besiege the
Parliament through Monday and Tuesday, the scheduled time for the government
policy debate.
Abhisit earlier said the government would not resort
to force to crack down on the red-shirt protesters.
Somchai government was blamed for ordering police to
use tear-gas to disperse PAD protesters on Oct. 7, causing violent clashes that
killed two persons and injured more than 400 others.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit was elected new PM
after Somchai stepped down with a court verdict on Dec. 2 that disbanded the
former ruling People Power Party on electoral fraud charges.
Supporters of former Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra wave a Thai flag and hold a banner during a protest
against the Government in Bangkok, December 28, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters
Photo)Photo
Gallery>>>
BANGKOK, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of red-shirt
demonstrators besieged the Parliament from early hours of the day in attempts to
blockade the new government policy address due to be delivered Monday morning.
The protesters in red, led by the Democratic Alliance
Against Dictatorship (DAAD), had gathered from Sunday afternoon at the Sanam
Luang (Royal Field) square in central Bangkok and moved to rally around the
Parliament compound after midnight. Full story
BANGKOK, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's House Speaker Chai
Chidchob on Sunday expressed confidence that the government can deliver its
policy statement to the parliament on Monday and Tuesday despite the mass
protest led by anti-government Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD).
Chai Chidchob said he had no plans to relocate or
postpone the session because he believed MPs from different provinces will be
able to coordinate with the DAAD core members, urging them not to incite unrest
during the policy delivery. Full story
BANGKOK, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Commander-in-Chief Admiral
Kamthon Phumhiran of the Royal Thai Navy said on Sunday the country's armed
forces are ready to provide assistance to police to keep law and order if
anti-government rally to be launched Sunday turns into violence.
Kamthon said, military personnel are ready to give
help to the police, if requested, in order to maintain peace in the
country. Full story
BANGKOK, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's anti-government
Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) protesters on Sunday morning
started to gather in front of the parliament, in an attempt to prevent the
coalition government to delivery its policy statement on Monday.
Amplifiers and protesting stages were set up at the
opposite side of the parliament. However, traffic conditions around the area
were normal and no roads were blocked. Full story
