Kom Chad Luek editor Korket Chantralertlak meets a group of protesters led by the Caravan of the Poor at Nation Group’s head office yesterday.

"The editorial department of Kom Chad Luek offers our apology to the Thai people for any upset caused by the report. The department admits its fault for what happened and will take full responsibility for the matter," the Thai-language daily said in a written statement to the media.

Referring to the report, the statement said it erred by failing to print Sondhi's reference to the King in full, thus leaving Sondhi's remarks in a form that could be upsetting to His Majesty.

The paper said it would publish an apology to the King on its front page today and would also submit an appeal for a royal pardon to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary.

"The Kom Chad Luek editorial department affirms its full allegiance to the monarchy and will loyally uphold the royal power as it has always done in its reporting," the statement said.

National Intelligence Agency director Pol General Jumpol Manmai said yesterday his agency would ask the Special Branch Police Division to investigate the case.

Members of the Caravan of the Poor, which has organised rallies in support of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, yesterday filed a criminal complaint with police at Bang Sue station to seek legal action against Kom Chad Luek over the controversial report.

More than 1,000 people gathered outside Nation Multimedia Group's head office yesterday to protest against Sondhi's interview as published by Kom Chad Luek, The Nation's sister Thai-language daily.

Protesters, led by the Caravan of the Poor, arrived at NMG headquarters at about 3pm in more than 30 pickup trucks. A leader riding in the front truck held aloft a picture of His Majesty the King.

Most of the protesters carried paper Thai flags and some waved banners that read: "It's too much, too strong. We can't stand it anymore, and won't move back even a step."

They also carried wreaths and foam effigies of Manager newspaper owner Sondhi Limthongkul and Nation Group editor in chief Suthichai Yoon.

Statements were handed out to reporters complaining about the newspaper's report and calling on people in the 76 provinces of Thailand to file complaints against Sondhi and Kom Chad Luek at any police station across the country.

They called on NMG's editors to take responsibility for what they deemed an offensive report in the Thai-language daily last Friday.

They also demanded the editor of the paper resign.

They said they would stay overnight at the building if their demands were ignored.

Shortly after making their aims clear, they tried to force their way into the newspaper's buildings in a bid to meet Kom Chad Luek's editor.

However the chaos eased when Kom Chad Luek editor Korket Chantralertlak appeared before the protesters.

"We will take responsibility for the mistake and seek a royal pardon. We are also investigating how the report managed to go to print," said Korket.

He also promised the crowd that an in-house investigation would be completed by tomorrow.

The protesters were unconvinced, however, claiming Korket had opted for an easy way out.