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BANGKOK - Thousands of Thai protesters forced parliament to close and surrounded the prime minister's makeshift offices at an old airport Monday, upping the stakes in a six-month standoff with the government.
A sea of demonstrators wearing yellow to symbolise their loyalty to the king spread out through the streets of Bangkok, with armed activists even hijacking four passenger buses to use as roadblocks against the police.
Protesters streamed out of Premier Somchai Wongsawat's Cabinet offices at Government House -- which activists have occupied since August -- and briefly blockaded parliament and several key state buildings.
Lawmakers postponed an important joint parliamentary session concerning legislation for a major regional summit being held in Thailand in December, as
police carrying shields took a low-key approach to avoid violence.
About 2,000 members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) later set up camp outside Somchai's new, temporary premises in a disused terminal at Bangkok's old Don Mueang international airport, AFP reporters said.
"If (the) government wants us to disperse, then the government should open the way for the military to take over," retired army general and PAD leader Parnthep Puvanartnurak told protesters at Don Mueang airport.
The PAD has led a six-month campaign aiming to topple the government led by Somchai, accusing it of being a corrupt puppet of exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.
Thaksin, who is Somchai's brother-in-law, fled the country in August this year but a power battle is raging between those who support the billionaire and his foes in the old power elite in the military, palace and bureaucracy.
Fearing a repeat of bloody clashes at the last major protests on October 7, which left two people dead and 500 injured, authorities appealed for calm and said the 2,000 policemen on duty in Bangkok would not use force.
But deputy premier Chavarat Charnvirakul, who is standing in for Somchai while the prime minister attends an APEC conference in Peru, said that he had told police to secure the offices at the airport.
"I have asked police to retake the office at Don Mueang because protesters have already seized Government House and it's not right and ridiculous to lose the temporary office," Chavarat said.
Police said about 18,000 protesters took part. Many waved red, white and blue national flags and portraits of deeply-revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, while black-clad volunteer PAD security guards wielding batons protected them.
One group of demonstrators moved from parliament to the finance ministry, while another group broke down a blockade on a road in front of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police headquarters, Thai television showed.
Protesters also hijacked four city buses to block traffic during the demonstrations. One was recaptured after police shot out a tyre but the other three remained in the hands of the PAD, police and transport officials said.
Three key PAD leaders arrived at Don Mueang airport later and vowed to move to block the new Suvarnabhumi international airport on Wednesday to prevent Somchai from returning from the APEC summit.
The PAD launched its anti-government campaign in May. It has called for Thailand's electoral system to be changed to include non-elected members.
The alliance called for supporters to march on Monday to avenge the death of an activist in a grenade attack at the protest site last week.
PAD leaders accuse the government of being behind that attack, which also injured 29 protesters, as well as a similar explosion that killed one more protester and injured seven on Saturday.
The protests also come as Thailand's economy cools, with growth slowing to four per cent in the third quarter of 2008 amid falling tourist arrivals and the global financial crisis.
- AFP/ir
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