THE SOUTH
Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung cut short his visit to the South and flew back to Bangkok yesterday morning to avoid protests in Krabi and Phuket provinces. Southern members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have vowed to block all cabinet members from visiting the region.
Mr Chalerm had planned to inspect public land encroachment sites in Krabi, Phuket and Phangnga provinces between Tuesday and today.
He left Bangkok on Tuesday and was scheduled to land in Phuket at 7.40pm. He changed the destination to Krabi after learning that more than 200 PAD protesters had gathered at Phuket airport.
Even so, about 100 protesters were also waiting at Krabi airport when Mr Chalerm landed.
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| Demonstrators line the road outside Krabi airport with signs haranguing Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung who arrived to follow up on a campaign against forest encroachment. |
Mr Chalerm waited in a reception room for about 20 minutes before sneaking out of the airport through its old passenger terminal.
From there, he travelled to his accommodation at the Maritime Park & Spa Resort hotel in downtown Krabi.
Protesters chased the minister's car as it left the airport for the hotel and harangued him from outside the resort hotel throughout the night.
Mr Chalerm called a meeting with senior officials late that night and left the hotel under the protection of 200 police officers.
Krabi governor Siva Sirisaovalak asked the protesters to stop, but they shouted at him and told him it was none of his business.
Mr Chalerm decided to cancel all his inspection trips in Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket and returned to Bangkok at 10am yesterday.
The minister said he decided to return to Bangkok after learning that the anti-government demonstrators planned to disrupt all of his meetings and to create further disturbances.
He said he was confident that members of a ''major party'' were behind the protesters.
Although he did not mention the name of the political party, it is understood that he was alluding to the opposition Democrat party, which dominates the House seats in the South.
Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban denied his party was behind the rally, saying that many people across Thailand opposed Mr Chalerm.
Soonthorn Rakrong, PAD coordinator for the South, said the alliance had resolved to bar all cabinet members of the Samak Sundaravej government from entering any of the 14 southern provinces.
Osot Suwansawet, a southern PAD member, said members in Krabi, Phuket and adjacent areas rallied to chase Mr Chalerm away from airports and the hotel.
''The people acted in line with their constitutional right. We are telling the interior minister that we do not want him to stay in office. We want him to resign,'' he said
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