Thai police back off after scuffles with protesters (2nd Lead)

Aug 29, 2008, 8:36 GMT

Bangkok - After tussling with anti-government protesters in a government compound they seized early this week police left the immediate area Friday afternoon after achieving little more than angering demonstrators.

'I'm very angry with the police,' 61-year-old Prasert Somtowyai said after police, who were carrying shields and batons and wearing riot gear, had pushed their way threw demonstrators only to retreat shortly after to nearby roads.

Prasert said joined the protest from a neighbouring suburb because he thinks the administration of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is corrupt and he should resign.

The police actions only made Prasert angrier, a feeling common among the 3,000 protesters remaining in the Government House compound after police pushed their way through to the building in the morning.

There were nearly 20,000 demonstrators Thursday night but torrential rain and fatigue dwindled numbers long before the police made their push.

By Friday afternoon people were filtering back to the compound in small numbers, carrying much needed food and water. Many protesters were kept away by police who blocked the way.

Police said they were not there to disperse the demonstrators.

'We are not dispersing the crowd. Police did not use force on protesters because this is a sensitive matter,' deputy police spokesman Major General Surapol Thuanthong said.

Chamlong Srimuang, a People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader and retired army general, said the police were planning to force them out, a claim that Surapol denied.

The confrontation comes on the fourth day of a standoff between anti-government protesters led by the PAD and the government.

In the first show of support for the PAD outside Bangkok, the State Railways of Thailand labour union staged a strike Friday, stranding thousands of travelers.

SRT Governor Yutthana Thapcharoen called a meeting of senior officials to discuss how to handle the strike but trains were still sitting motionless late Friday.

Samak said Thursday that police would not use force to remove anti-government protesters who seized and have held the government compound, but Friday's move seems to have upped the ante.

Thailand's criminal court has ordered the protesters to disperse from the compound around Government House and issued arrest warrants for nine leaders of the PAD, which is spearheading the demonstrations.

The court issued the nine warrants Wednesday for 'treason' and had threatened to serve them Thursday, but Samak said police would not break through the crowd of supporters to arrest the PAD leaders and instead would give them a chance to surrender to authorities.

Tens of thousands of PAD supporters seized several government buildings early Tuesday to block the government from amending the 2007 constitution and pressure the administration to resign.

Earlier, Samak said his government would not be forced from power because it had been legally elected.

Two years ago, PAD organized months of protests against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was eventually ousted in a bloodless military coup in September 2006.

The PAD and coup leaders charged Smaka's political ally Thaksin with massive corruption, dividing the nation and undermining democracy and the monarchy.

It has been calling for Samak's resignation since May after the cabinet approved a motion to amend the 2007 constitution. Protest leaders charged the amendments are aimed at clearing Thaksin of corruption charges and paving the way for his return to power.

Thaksin, a former policeman turned billionaire businessman, was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, winning a huge following among Thailand's rural poor.

But the populist politician drew the opposition of the political elite when his growing power led to perceived abuses for personal gain.

After spending 17 months in exile in the post-coup period, Thaksin returned to Thailand in February but fled again this month after his wife was convicted of tax evasion charges. She skipped bail, and the couple is now seeking asylum in Britain.

With Thaksin now seeking asylum overseas, the PAD has lost one of its biggest drawing points, and some analysts said they think the momentum of the protests will dwindle.