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PAD speakers and supporters consistently mention the incident in Udon Thani that saw a group of anti-government protesters attacked by a pro-government group. Likewise a minor clash that occurred between the PAD and police during the latter's first attempt to remove the group from Government House following a temporary order from the Civil Court is also brought up repeatedly to demonstrate how violence is being used against protesters.

However, the self-proclaimed peace-loving PAD has never taken the violence committed by its own side seriously. Protest leaders have made aggressive demands for officials who injured protesters last month to be brought to justice, but they have not uttered a word over the death of Narongsak Kobthaisong during a clash between the PAD and rival group the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) earlier this month. None of the PAD leaders called for justice for Narongsak, who was apparently from the DAAD side, never mind mentioning the possibility of an internal investigation to find the protesters responsible for the killing.

Violence on a different scale has taken place many times during the sit-in protest at Government House. Voluntary guards and the so-called Sri Wichai warriors have a deep mistrust for newcomers who join the protest and suspect them of being members of opposing groups there to infiltrate the protest.

Media representatives are not exempt from this treatment and must go through whole-body searches before entering the protest site. Many of them have also been harassed.

Mere suspicions have sometimes ended up in violence, as a video clip shot by a TV7 cameraman last week demonstrates. The station decided to broadcast the clip showing a group of PAD security guards beating a man at Makkhawan Bridge. The incident happened at about 5.30pm on September 17, when the man, later found out to be Nattaphong Thanetpaisan, walked among the protesters carrying a big bag. He was stopped by the guards, resisted their attempt to search him and was beaten as a result.

Once he realised that the beating was being filmed, one of the guards used a huge blue plastic tarp to block the scene, while the beating went on. The clip is now available on YouTube. A guard told reporters that Nattaphong had been struck because he had refused to allow guards to confiscate an air rifle that he had carried into the area. Nattaphong said he had not intended to carry the rifle onto the protest site but had been trying to walk through the protesters, who were blocking Ratchadamnoen Avenue, heading to Dusit Zoo.

Police said they could not arrest anybody since a complaint had not been filed over the incident. PAD's leaders paid the case no attention.