1,000 Thai protesters push through police cordon

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-20 16:47

BANGKOK, Thailand - About 1,000 protesters demanding the resignation of Thailand's prime minister Friday broke through a police cordon to approach government offices where they planned to launch a peaceful siege.

A protest leader, Chamlong Srimuang, said some 10,000 protesters were converging on Government House in Bangkok from five directions. Their numbers could not be independently verified.

A Bangkok policeman looks on in the rain Thursday, June 19, 2008, during a rally in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand's revered king urged the country's prime minister Thursday to keep his promises to do good for the nation, as a protest group geared up for what it claimed would be a massive demonstration to call for the government to step down. [Agencies]

One group of about 1,000 protesters broke through a line of around 200 police officers at barricades, but were stopped just short of entering the Government House compound by other security forces. Other demonstrators staged sit-ins in front of police at four locations, but said they would later attempt to penetrate the cordon.

Another group of about 2,000 pushed against police equipped with shields and clubs. Reporters saw about a dozen protesters sustain minor injuries during the scuffles.

Earlier, police spokesman Maj. Gen. Surapol Tuanthong said about 5,000 police were blocking all roads to stop "the mob" from getting near Government House.

The protesters, spearheaded by the People's Alliance for Democracy movement, claim that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's government is a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup.

The alliance led mass demonstrations before the coup demanding Thaksin step down for alleged corruption and abuse of power.

They now accuse Samak's government of interfering with corruption charges against Thaksin and trying to change the constitution for its own self-interest.

Although facing criminal charges for alleged corruption, Thaksin remains a powerful figure in Thailand.

The protesters pledged to peacefully besiege Government House until Samak and his coalition government resign.

Samak was not expected to be in the building on Friday.

Earlier, Suriyasai Katasila, an alliance leader, said the protesters would split up into smaller groups in order to confuse police and get through their cordon, which included lines of heavy trucks, water cannons and tear gas.

Some of the police had donned their gas masks. Others were wielding shields and clubs but no guns.

About 20 boats were being prepared by the demonstrators for crossing a canal which runs past Government House.

Government spokesman Wichianchote Sukchotrat said schools and government offices around the building were ordered to close Friday for safety reasons and "to allow police to work smoothly."

The demonstrators -- claiming their ranks would swell to 100,000 as reinforcements converge from across the country -- have been in Bangkok's streets for the past three weeks.

During a meeting televised on the evening news Thursday, Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej urged Samak to keep his pledges to do good for the nation.

"I expect that you will do what you have promised and when you can do that, you will be satisfied," the king said.

"With that satisfaction, the country will survive. I ask you to do good in everything, both in government work and other work, so that our country can carry on and people will be pleased."

Samak's People's Power Party won general elections last December. His Cabinet is packed with Thaksin's allies, and critics say rehabilitating the former leader is among the government's top priorities.