Thai police won't use force to crack down on protesters: Police chief

BANGKOK, Aug 28 (TNA) - Police will not use force to disperse or arrest the nine core leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have been served arrest warrants, but will use a "tender approach" and negotiation to deal with the PAD supporters, according to national police chief Police General Patcharawat Wongsuwan.

Meanwhile, anti-government protesters led by the PAD remained inside the
premises of Government House
for a third day Thursday morning despite court orders for them to leave
and give way to traffic.

Gen. Patcharawat said the authorities would not raid the government
compound but will wait for the nine PAD core leaders to present
themselves. There was no deadline set for the surrender, he said.

Until now police had taken no action despite having arrest warrants for
nine PAD leaders on charges of inciting unrest and trying to overthrow the
government, and the court's injunction for the PAD activists to move out
of Government House.

Thailand's Civil Court granted an immediate injunction ordering all PAD
demonstrators to move out of the Government House compound in Bangkok and
end road blockades, to allow cabinet members access to Government House.
If they did not, police would have to enforce the court order.

The PAD leaders, however, vowed to stay put and would file an appeal to
the court order on Thursday.

The five PAD leaders are Sondhi Limthongkul, Piphop Thongchai, Gen.
Chamlong, Somsak Kosaisuk, Somkiat Pongpaiboon and the PAD coordinator
Suriyasai Katasila. The other three persons are Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Amorn
Amornrattananond and Therdpoom Chaidee, who led PAD stalwarts in Tuesday's
raid on the state-owned NBT television station.

The PAD leaders were charged with rebellion and rebellious attempt,
organising gatherings of 10 or more people to cause public disturbances
and defying police orders to disperse.

However, no untoward incidents and no acts of violence were reported
during the night after the Civil Court order was obtained by the police at
about 10pm Wednesday to compel the protesters to leave Government House
immediately. The court also ordered the anti-govt coalition to dismantle
platforms and barricades earlier set up inside Government House and give
way to traffic at and around Government House.

Police, equipped with batons and shields, stood on alert inside the
Govenrment House premises while PAD leaders Maj-Gen. Chamlong Srimuang and
Sondhi Limthongkul told the protesters, most of whom gathering about the
lawn just outside the Thai Khu Fa building to stay.

Gen. Chamlong and the other PAD leaders sat on the lawn encircled by their
followers, including middle-aged women with their ''guards'' forming an
close entourage around them, some reportedly from the Santi Asoke
religious movement.

The former deputy prime minister and former Bangkok governor said he would
not resist arrest by the police following the Criminal Court's issuance of
arrest warrants for a total of nine PAD leaders Wednesday afternoon.

The arrest warrants were issued primarily on grounds of state rebellion
committed by the PAD leaders.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Pol. Gen. Kowit Wattana, who
met with senior police officers at the headquarters of the Metropolitan
Police barely a kilometre away, urged the anti-government protesters to
follow the court orders by leaving Government House immediately.

However, the interior minister, asked by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej
to take full charge of the situation at Government House, said he will not
use force to put the court orders and arrest warrants to work.

The police earlier suggested that the protesters return to Makkhawan
Bridge nearby where they had gathered in bid to press the Samak government
to resign en masse since May 25.(TNA)