Riot police ready to disperse protesters at Bangkok's Government House

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-27 10:21

BANGKOK -- More than 2,000 anti-riot police were deployed early Wednesday to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) at the Government House compound in central Bangkok after Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej gave an ultimatum.

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The anti-riot police, armed with batons and shields, were there to exercise an order earlier by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Kowit Watana, who was assigned by Prime Minister Samak to take responsibility for bringing back law and order to the capital.

Thousands of anti-government demonstrators forced their way into the Thai prime minister's office compound on Tuesday and tens of thousands rallied outside in the latest protest aimed at unseating the government.

The demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Samak and accused him of a close ally of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.

Samak in an afternoon statement gave an ultimatum to the PAD- led protesters, who on Tuesday climaxed their one-month long anti- government besiege by seizing a state-run TV station, in a final showdown to oust the Samak government.

Earlier, the protesters blocked main roads linking Bangkok to upcountry and broke into various government institutions including Government House compound, ministries' offices and the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau.

Samak warned Tuesday afternoon those who intruded the Government House that the government's tolerance and restraint with them will end if they did not retreat from the compound as soon as possible.

The police are expected to "take actions" to clear the site before dawn, said sources.