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Thai protest continues
Protesters force policemen off compound
BANGKOK - THAI anti-government protesters occupying the grounds of the prime minister's office forced several hundred policemen off the compound early on Friday and promised more action in their bid to oust the leader.
Police exercised restraint when the demonstrators - some armed with golf clubs, batons and bamboo sticks - pushed up to 400 officers out of the Government House grounds at about 1 am.
Protesters celebrated by dancing to rock music, a sharp contrast to the tensions the night before when they feared a raid and threw up makeshift barricades.
'We can relax now, but please be cautious, they might return soon,' protest organiser Samran Rodpetch announced from a stage.
Thousands of supporters of the conservative People's Alliance for Democracy spent a third night encamped at Government House in support of their campaign to force Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej from office.
The alliance accuses Mr Samak's government of serving as a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and faces several pending corruption cases. Mr Thaksin is in self-imposed exile in Britain.
After Mr Thaksin was deposed in the bloodless coup, his party was dissolved and he was banned from public office until 2012.
But Mr Samak led Mr Thaksin's political allies to a December 2007 election victory, and their assumption of power triggered fears that Mr Thaksin would make a political comeback on the strength of his continued popularity in Thailand's rural majority.
The number of protesters in and around the government compound has varied from a few thousand most mornings to a high of 30,000 who staged demonstrations at several locations on Tuesday across Bangkok.
The alliance promised a 'final showdown' this week, but has suffered several setbacks, including when it sent several dozen masked thugs on Tuesday to take over a government-controlled television station. The band surrendered to police and video of the bullying tactics were broadcast repeatedly.
Police issued arrest warrants on Wednesday for nine of the group's leaders on charges of insurrection, conspiracy, illegal assembly and refusing orders to disperse. Insurrection, the legal equivalent of treason, carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.
Another court issued an order late on Wednesday demanding that the protesters leave the government compound immediately and stop blocking streets.
On Thursday, a court rejected the alliance's appeal of the order to vacate Government House, which was seized on Tuesday.
One of the top alliance leaders, Mr Chamlong Srimuang, told reporters on Thursday night that protesters would continue to rally at the compound despite the court order.
Mr Chamlong, one of the nine leaders sought by police, insisted the protesters were doing nothing wrong.
'We are staging a protest because the government has made too many mistakes and has no legitimacy to run the country,' he said. 'Our political rallying will get stronger because more of our supporters from upcountry will come to help us. We will not back down.'
The alliance's best known leaders are Mr Chamlong, an influential former politician and army officer, and Mr Sondhi Limthongkul, a media mogul.
'We can withstand any difficult conditions if we can topple Samak,' said Mr Kitja Usaiphan, 43, a fisherman who has been camping at the government compound since Tuesday.
Mr Samak, who refuses to resign, has accused the protesters of trying to provoke violence.
'They want bloodshed in the country. They want the military to come out and do the coup again,' Mr Samak said.
The military has said it is not planning a coup. Thailand has had 17 constitutions since 1932 - a reflection of the political instability and military coups that followed the drafting of the first charter that created a constitutional monarchy.
The last coup was in 2006, when Mr Thaksin was ousted. -- AP
Protesters force policemen off compound
BANGKOK - THAI anti-government protesters occupying the grounds of the prime minister's office forced several hundred policemen off the compound early on Friday and promised more action in their bid to oust the leader.
Police exercised restraint when the demonstrators - some armed with golf clubs, batons and bamboo sticks - pushed up to 400 officers out of the Government House grounds at about 1 am.
Protesters celebrated by dancing to rock music, a sharp contrast to the tensions the night before when they feared a raid and threw up makeshift barricades.
'We can relax now, but please be cautious, they might return soon,' protest organiser Samran Rodpetch announced from a stage.
Thousands of supporters of the conservative People's Alliance for Democracy spent a third night encamped at Government House in support of their campaign to force Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej from office.
The alliance accuses Mr Samak's government of serving as a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and faces several pending corruption cases. Mr Thaksin is in self-imposed exile in Britain.
After Mr Thaksin was deposed in the bloodless coup, his party was dissolved and he was banned from public office until 2012.
But Mr Samak led Mr Thaksin's political allies to a December 2007 election victory, and their assumption of power triggered fears that Mr Thaksin would make a political comeback on the strength of his continued popularity in Thailand's rural majority.
The number of protesters in and around the government compound has varied from a few thousand most mornings to a high of 30,000 who staged demonstrations at several locations on Tuesday across Bangkok.
The alliance promised a 'final showdown' this week, but has suffered several setbacks, including when it sent several dozen masked thugs on Tuesday to take over a government-controlled television station. The band surrendered to police and video of the bullying tactics were broadcast repeatedly.
Police issued arrest warrants on Wednesday for nine of the group's leaders on charges of insurrection, conspiracy, illegal assembly and refusing orders to disperse. Insurrection, the legal equivalent of treason, carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.
Another court issued an order late on Wednesday demanding that the protesters leave the government compound immediately and stop blocking streets.
On Thursday, a court rejected the alliance's appeal of the order to vacate Government House, which was seized on Tuesday.
One of the top alliance leaders, Mr Chamlong Srimuang, told reporters on Thursday night that protesters would continue to rally at the compound despite the court order.
Mr Chamlong, one of the nine leaders sought by police, insisted the protesters were doing nothing wrong.
'We are staging a protest because the government has made too many mistakes and has no legitimacy to run the country,' he said. 'Our political rallying will get stronger because more of our supporters from upcountry will come to help us. We will not back down.'
The alliance's best known leaders are Mr Chamlong, an influential former politician and army officer, and Mr Sondhi Limthongkul, a media mogul.
'We can withstand any difficult conditions if we can topple Samak,' said Mr Kitja Usaiphan, 43, a fisherman who has been camping at the government compound since Tuesday.
Mr Samak, who refuses to resign, has accused the protesters of trying to provoke violence.
'They want bloodshed in the country. They want the military to come out and do the coup again,' Mr Samak said.
The military has said it is not planning a coup. Thailand has had 17 constitutions since 1932 - a reflection of the political instability and military coups that followed the drafting of the first charter that created a constitutional monarchy.
The last coup was in 2006, when Mr Thaksin was ousted. -- AP
