Security cordons broken; PAD moves on Government House
BANGKOK, June 20 (TNA) - Thousands of anti-government demonstrators broke through riot police blockades to push their way towards Government House.
Breaking through the cordons, Peoples' Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders said they are expecting "hundreds of thousands" of sympathisers to join the rally, including some members of state enterprise unions who are to join them.
Protesters seeking to remove the seated government attempted to access Government House from a nearby railway station Friday morning, but were blocked by police barricades, even as a key protest leader, retired Maj-Gen. Chamlong Srimuan renewed his pledge that the democracy activists would not use any weapons or violence.
If disorder or physical force is used, he affirmed, it would not come from the anti-government protesters.
Thousands of police officers armed with riot shieds barricaded roads around Thailand's Government House to block anti-government protestors from moving in to besiege the government seat Friday afternoon, aimed at forcing the elected government to resign.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who also serves as defence minister, earlier pledged to refrain from using force against the protesters.
Friday morning the premier was attending a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in preparation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
Meanwhile, Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Suebwonglee reportedly shifted the venue of a meeting from Government House to the Ministry of Finance in an apparent bid to avoid confrontation with the demonstrators.
Other cabinet members are nowhere to be seen, and some government civil servants have opted to stay at home in fear of possible violence.
Security around Government House has been tightened with uniformed police manning the barricades along all routes to the government seat.
The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and its supporters have been demonstrating since May 25 in a bid to pressure the four-month-old coalition government to resign, claiming that Mr. Samak and his People Power Party are proxies of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. (TNA)
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Besiege in the making
Follow today's tense political developments in our minute-by-minute report.
2.35pm : After achieving in surrounding the Government House, the protesters try to move police trucks that formed the barricade in front of the Government House. However, police told the protesters that they will move the trucks themselves.
2.31pm: Protesters declare victory in surrounding the Government House.
2.30pm : Waving the red flags, some 500 opponents of PAD march to where the PAD-led protesters are gathering near the Government House.
2.13pm : Protesters have all but circled Government House, with police commandoes making ways for their advance. However, those standing guard inside Government House walls vow there won't be any compromise and nobody will be allowed to cross over.
Most of protesters who are on the front line, confronting with police, were seen wearing masks in preparation in case police wear tear gas to disperse them.
2.12pm : Protesters achieve in breaking the police line on Nakhon Pathom Road and move closer to the Government House. They are now besieging the Government House.
2.08pm: Police clash with protesters on Nakhon Pathom Road again as the protesters tried to break the police line.
12.15pm : People's Alliance for Democracy's leaders; Chamlong Srimuang, Sondhi Limthongkul, and Somkiet Pongpaiboon (a Democrat MP) appear at the gathering of protesters at Nang Lueng horse racing stadium.
The stadium is less than 100 meters from the Government House. It seemed that Chamlong and other leaders sneak from the protest at Makawan Rangsan Bridge. The anti-government speeches at the Bridge continues.
1.29pm : Police re-erect the barricades which were scattered when the protesters break the police line.
1.27pm : PAD march reaches all police's inner barriers guarding Gov't House
About two hours of multi-pronged march, the People's Alliance for Democracy has managed to advance to inner barriers set up by police to guard Government House.
Tens of thousands of protesters are unarmed in the orderly march and about 5,000 anti-riot police, also unarmed, are deployed at barriers.
The main thrust led by Chamlong Srimuang and Sondhi Limthongkul has halted feet apart from the barrier at Nang Lerng. Anti-riot forces line up four deep behind iron dividers. After the police line, armoured vehicles are parked to deter the crowds.
Other main barriers are located at Makawan Rangsan Bridge, Misakawan Intersection, the Royal Plaza and the Marble Temple.
Few protesters have been seen to have sneaked pass barriers and reach Government House but not in significant numbers to lay siege.
1.22pm : Protesters at Benjamabophit Temple achieve in breaking police barricades and they are on Nakhon Pathom Road. Clashing with police continues.
12.42pm : Leaders of People's Alliance for Democracy : Chamlong Srimuang and Sondhi Limthongkul climb on top of truck and tell people to stick together and be united.
They ask the protesters to prepare to move their protest to the Government House.
11.56am : Sondhi Limthongkul makes a brief statement, urging people to remain calm and wait for the signal from the protest's leaders when to march from the Makawan Rangsan Bridge to the Government House.
11.45am - Chamlong Srimung gets on to a truck and start speaking to the cheering crowds. It is still unclear what he would do next.
Some of the protesters came faces to face with police who form ed a thick barricade to prevent the rally from moving from Makawan Rangsan Bridge to the Government House.
11.30am - A speaker on the stage warns people that the government may use tear gas to disperse the protest. He urges the protesters to remain calm and use cloth to be distributed to them to cover their nose and mouth.
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