Protesters intrude Government House in Thai capital

Source: Xinhua | 08-27-2008 18:35

BANGKOK, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Anti-government protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) intruded the Government House in central Bangkok Tuesday afternoon to lay a showdown siege on the current government led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

Thousands of PAD protesters and supporters began storming into the administration center institution after 2:00 p.m. (0700GMT) after breaking police barriers. Few security men were seen around or inside the compound.

The Government House was virtually vacant as PM Samak and ministers reportedly changed the venue for Tuesday's weekly cabinet meeting to move to the Supreme Command Headquarters in face of the PAD's threat of a self-claimed "D-Day" siege of the government in a three-month-long demonstration movement to call for the step-down of the government.

Before intrusion into the Government House, the PAD-led protesters, in tens of thousands, had blocked main roads linking Bangkok to the southern, northern and northeastern provinces in the country, and besieged or broke into some key establishments including some ministries' office compound and the Metropolitan Police Bureau without much effort.

The showdown mass protest began early Tuesday with a raid at the office building of state TV station National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT). By noon the PAD has declared a complete seizure of the TV station, which was forced to suspend its broadcasting.

Observers believed that Samak, as Prime Minister and Defence Minister, would soon declare a state of emergency in the capital, which could pave way for a military interference, if the tension could not cool down.

However, Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit said the PAD protests had not gone to the extent that an emergency decree needed to be adopted, but affirmed that he believed the police could handle the situation.

Editor:Xiong Qu