Thai protestors decide to leave Government House, stay at airports

Dec 1, 2008, 8:28 GMT

Bangkok - Anti-government protestors decided Monday to end their three-month occupation of the prime minister's office, but remained in place at Bangkok's two airports which they have shut down for almost a week.

People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Chamlomg Srimuang urged supporters still at Government House to move out and join others at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport.

The PAD occupied Government House since August 26, depriving the prime minister and cabinet of their offices.

The decision to vacate the Government House grounds came after several grenade attacks on the compound in recent weeks which killed one PAD member and injured scores of others.

The last attack, over the weekend, injured 46 people.

Anger against the PAD - a loose coalition of groups dedicated to toppling the government because of its links to fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra - has mounted since it took control of Suvarnabhumi airport on November 25.

The protesters closed down the 4-billion-dollar facility, and two days later also occupied Bangkok's former international airport Don Mueang, completely cutting the capital off from air traffic.

The airport seizures were part of the PAD's strategy to bring the government to its knees.

Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on Thursday put the two airports under emergency law and ordered the police to clear the facilities of the PAD. But police failed to act over the weekend, apparently fearful of public criticism if things turned bloody, and and aware that Somchai's government may soon be disbanded.

The PAD has enjoyed strong backing from Bangkok's middle class and members of the country's political elite, including the army.

Prime Minister Somchai has moved his cabinet to Chiang Mai, 550 kilometres north of Bangkok, for fear of a coup.

On Tuesday or Wednesday, the Constitution Court is scheduled to rule on whether the People Power Party (PPP) was guilty of committing election fraud in the December 23, 2007 polls.

A guilty verdict, which is anticipated, would result in the dissolution of the PPP, and the banning of its executives from politics for five years. Somchai, as a senior PPP executive, would lose his post as prime minister.

Many are hoping this 'judicial coup,' as it has been called by pro-government politicians, will solve Thailand's political impasse before Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrates his 81st birthday on December 5.

But there are signs that pro-government protestors may try to block the Constitution Court from ruling or protest the verdict, leading Thailand into more political chaos.

The airport closures have already caused incalculable damage to the country's tourism industry and exports.

Thailand's Board of Trade estimated the country was losing about 3 billion baht (86 million dollars) a day in exports.

Tourism is one of the country's main foreign-exchange earners, bringing in an estimated 600 billion baht (17 billion dollars) each year.

The government pledged Monday to speed up emergency flights from provincial airports for an estimated 240,000 foreign tourists stranded in Bangkok.

'I believe we can send all the passengers home within seven to 10 days,' Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kohsurat said.

The government is using the Vietnam War era U-Tapao air base, 150 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, as an alternative to Bangkok.

Authorities were also planning to open up the Nakorn Ratchasima Air Force base, 200 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, as another emergency departure hub.

Both of those provincial airfields were built with the assistance of the US government four decades ago and used for US aircraft and troops in nearby Vietnam.

Thailand is spending an estimated 40 million baht (1.1 million dollars) a day to put stranded tourists up in hotels while they wait for flights out.

The total expenditure is likely to reach 2 billion baht (57 million) over the next seven to 10 days.

'When they have all left, Thailand will be very quiet and lonely,' Weerasak said.