A battle of wits

After a chaotic day besieging the capital without achieving any meaningful political results, the anti-government protesters vowed to continue the siege today by focusing on the temporary seat of government at Don Mueang Airport and other locations.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Charnweerakul has tasked Interior Minister Kowit Watana with devising a plan to reclaim the government offices in Don Mueang from the protesters.

Chaovarat yesterday blamed the authorities for allowing the protesters to besiege the temporary seat of government in Don Mueang after it had already lost Government House.

Chamlong Srimuang, the leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, retreated to Government House and called upon his fellow protesters to lay siege to the government offices in Don Mueang early this morning again.

The protesters have faced a setback in their final showdown strategy, with which they hoped to topple the Somchai government. But their aggression was met with carrots rather than sticks by the Somchai government, which instructed the police to avoid any clashes and give way to the protesters.

Without a fight and bloodshed, there was no cause for any political accidents to happen. Without military support, the protesters would have had no chance of forcing political change.

The yellow-shirted protesters began to lay siege at different locations yesterday morning by marching from Government House to Parliament, the Metropolitan Police Command Centre, the Finance Ministry and the Chat Thai Party's office. Their number was estimated at 20,000-30,000, fewer than the previous major gatherings.

To their surprise, the police did virtually nothing to hinder their advance as they blocked Parliament at the Royal Plaza. House Speaker Chai Chidchob postponed a joint parliamentary session. The protesters quickly declared victory by claiming that they had succeeded in preventing Parliament from amending the charter to pave the way for ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to return to power.

Chai later met Chaovarat, Senate President Prasopsuk Boondej and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to agree to postpone the joint parliamentary session to December 8-9 to ratify the agreements that Thailand would need to commit to at the Asean Summit in Chiang Mai next month.

Piphob Thongchai, a PAD leader, reiterated that the protesters would not resort to violence at any place.

The protesters retreated to Government House, while others made their way to Don Mueang to besiege the temporary seat of government there. The police did not resist the protesters, who easily occupied the front part of the office building.

A source said Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is now in Peru attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Meeting, called up Army chief General Anupong Paochinda to discuss the situation.

They agreed that authorities should not try to resist the protesters and should refrain from arming themselves to avoid violent clashes.