At least 20 city roads have been closed or partially closed by the anti-government protesters' Bangkok shutdown operation which entered its eighth day yesterday, according to the Transport Ministry's website.
Chumpol Julasai, a member of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, berates Niran Adulyasak, director of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)’s Bureau of Special Crime 1. Protesters asked him to come out of the elevator to talk but he refused. The protesters stormed the Software Park building and demanded that the DSI officials stop work and leave the premises. CHAIWAT SARDYAEM
The ministry reported yesterday the protesters have set up stages and road blocks in nine areas and motorists should avoid using those roads.
The locations include the seven roads and intersections blocked by protesters since the Bangkok shutdown operation kick-started on Monday last week.
Two other sites are Ratchadamnoen Avenue and the Rama VIII Bridge, the ministry said.
The situation update came as motorists complained about heavy traffic yesterday morning. Heavy traffic was reported on roads near the People's Democratic Reform Committee's (PDRC) protest site in downtown Bangkok.
According to the ministry, about 20 roads have been closed or partially closed by the protesters. They include Chaeng Watthana, Phahon Yothin, Din Daeng, Lat Phrao, Phaya Thai, Ploenchit, Ratchadamri, Henri Dunant, Rama 1, Rama 4, and Sukhumvit. Protesters from seven protest sites yesterday continued moving to various state agencies to force government officials to stop working.
The PDRC and its ally the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand travelled to over 10 state installations across the city.
Thaworn Senneam, who leads the demonstration at the Victory Monument, yesterday led protesters in laying siege to the Government Savings Bank (GSB) head office in the Saphan Khwai area to prevent the government from using the GSB's money to repay farmers under the rice-pledging scheme.
Mr Thaworn and a group of protesters entered the bank to ensure all bank staff stopped working, and held talks with bank representatives for a half hour. "We will not allow the government to use people's money for the corrupt project," he said, referring to the rice-pledging scheme.
Mr Thaworn said the PDRC was not trying to prevent farmers from getting payment for their pledged rice, but the government should borrow the money from commercial banks and financial institutions rather than taking the money from the state-owned GSB.
In the neighbouring province of Nonthaburi, protest leader Rachen Trakulwieng yesterday led about 300 demonstrators to Nonthaburi provincial hall on Rattanathibet Road. They held a brief demonstration to call for state officials to support the PDRC's reform-before-election proposal.
Mr Rachen urged the Nonthaburi governor to issue an order allowing officials to stop working until the political situation returns to normal.
Deputy Nonthaburi governor Kanlong Yutthachai came out to meet the protesters and promised to forward their demands to the governor.
