Court orders PAD to move out of the Government House

Post reporters

The Civil Court has ordered the People's Alliance For Democracy (PAD) to immediately move out of Government House and its grounds, at the request of the Prime Minister's Secretariat Office.

Nine PAD leaders also face arrest warrants approved by the Criminal Court on four charges, including treason.

The PM's secretariat filed a complaint with the Civil Court Wednesday seeking an urgent hearing of an application for a temporary injunction to disperse the PAD protesters.

National police chief Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan said PAD leaders would be informed immediately of the Civil Court's order.

Samran Rodpetch, a PAD key member, announced the court order to the supporters, but urged them to stay put.

They did not leave.

Termsak Jarupran, said the PAD respected the Civil Court's order but appealed to the court to allow them stay inside the Government House compound to fulfil their mission to topple the government.

The PAD began its seige of Government House on Tuesday, saying it was the ``last whistle blow'' in its effort to unseat Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

In the complaint lodged by Loyluen Bunnag, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister, the PM's Secretariat Office asked the Civil Court to order PAD demonstrators to leave Government House and remove their belongings from the compound.

Even though the PAD claimed the right to protest under Article 63 of the constitution, its occupation of Government House prevented officials and cabinet ministers from performing their duties, the complaint said.

The PAD demonstration, which involved raids on several government agencies including the NBT television station, had caused inconvenience to the public at large.

The complaint said the PAD's campaign was seen as an instigation of civil unrest and was therefore a threat to national security.

It said Government House had been earmarked as the venue for an official function ``116 Days: From Mothers' Day to Fathers' Day'' this Saturday.

The Criminal Court yesterday issued warrants for the arrest of nine PAD leaders, who face four serious charges including treason following a raid on Government House.

Named in the warrants were PAD core members Sondhi Limthongkul, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, Somsak Kosaisuk, Pibhop Dhongchai, Somkiat Pongpaiboon, PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila, and key allies Amorn Amornrattananont, Chaiwat Sinsuwong and Therdphum Jaidee.

They are accused of using violence to incite unrest and overthrow the government, of conspiracy to commit treason, of unlawful assembly to cause public disturbance, and of resisting police orders to disperse.

Mr Somkiat, a Democrat lis-MP, cannot be arrested because he has parliament immunity while the House is in session.

The PAD leaders led tens of thousands of demonstrators to storm Government House Tuesday in their stepped-up campaign to force Mr Samak out of office.

Following the issuing of the warrants, Mr Samak ordered theauthorities to disperse PAD demonstrators from Government House grounds before sunset.

``Before sunset, security forces will be deployed to force the protesters from Government House. It must end today. It cannot continue,'' Mr Samak, according to government spokesman Wichienchote Sukchoterat.

Mr Wichienchote e said authorities would first try to talk the demonstrators into leaving the compound, and that ``drastic measures'' would be taken if state property was damaged.

About 1,000 police were deployed outside the Government House grounds. About 100 were said to have infiltrated with demonstrators.

However, late last night the PAD protesters were still there and police had taken no forceful action.

Interior Minister Kowit Wattana and police yesterday pleaded with PAD leaders to turn themselves in and leave Government House voluntarily.

``I'm pleading with you to leave Government House. I do not want to call this an ultimatum. It is a plea,'' said Pol Gen Kowit, a former national police chief.

Pol Maj-Gen Suporn Pansua, spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Bureau, alsosaid senior police tried to encourage PAD leaders to turn themselves in.

The PAD leaders remained inside Government House after the arrest warrants were issued and challenged police to arrest them there. They vowed not to flee and were surrounded by thousands of supporters on the lawn of Government House. Women and children sat in rows at the gates to prevent police from storming the compound.

Maj-Gen Chamlong said he was ready for arrest and told the protesters to open the way if the police showed up.

Whether or not  the arrest warrants were executed, he wanted the protesters to continue their occupation of Government House until the Samak government stepped down from office.

``If we move out of here, it means that we are losing. I believe if we continue protesting here for another three or four days, the government itself will go,''  Maj-Gen Chamlong said.

Mr Sondhi also said he was ready to surrender to police.

``The government is committing suicide,'' he said.

He also alleged there was an order for plainclothes police who were mingling with demonstrators to shoot him and Maj-Gen Chamlong.

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said the party had previously made an agreement with their MP, Mr Somsak, that he joined the PAD movement at his own  risk.