Red shirts prevent House from sitting

Thousands of red-shirt pro-Thaksin Shinawatra members of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) began what may be a long siege, blocking entry to parliament yesterday and preventing the new Abhisit Vejjajiva administration from delivering its policy statement.

The group marched from Sanam Luang to the front of parliament late Sunday night. It was lead by DAAD leaders like Jatuporn Promphan and Veera Musikaphong.

The group called for the House to be dissolved immediately and an election staged. They claimed the new government was illegitimate because the Army helped lure some former pro-Thaksin MPs into the Democrat Party.

Shortly after 2pm yesterday, large speakers and canvass tents were being set up around the front and side of Parliament as some 3,000 protesters angrily shouted "Abhisit Get Out!" and "Thaksin Come Back!"

House Speaker Chai Chidchob postponed the House meeting three times yesterday, from 9.30am to 2pm, then 5pm, and then to 9.30am today.

DAAD protest leaders said they would allow Abhisit and other MPs to walk to enter the parliament but concerns over MPs safety meant no Democrat ruling-party MPs were willing to take the risk.

Some red-shirt protesters like 56-year-old Bua Tasena, a masseuse working in Bangkok's Pattanakarn district who originally migrate from Lampang province a decade ago, said she would stay until the House was dissolved.

"I want a return to democracy. We don't accept [the Abhisit government]. We don't love Abhisit as PM."

Anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) co-ordinator Suriyasai Katasila urged the red-shirt protesters to give the new government a chance to administer the country first, however.

Banners criticising Abhisit, the military and PAD-linked foreign minister Kasit Piromya abound. "Military's slave government" one said. "We don't want Government of thieves" another said.

There were also pictures of Abhisit handing a bouquet of flowers to PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul back in 2006 as a proof of the new PM's political connection.

Sombat Boon-nagmanong, a former coordinator of the Sept 19 Network Against Dictatorship who joined the red-shirt camp to oppose the 2007 military-sponsored constitution, wasn't at parliament but was at the rally at Sanam Luang on Sunday. He voiced disappointment yesterday at Abhisit's decision to be helped by the military to form a coalition government. Sombat said he felt the government should be able to deliver its policy statement first, though, so the public can make some decision about the new administration.

However, he said it was most likely the Abhisit administration would try to hang on for as long as possible and not return power to the people soon enough. The protest in front of parliament, Sombat said, was a sign that "things won't be easy" for the new government.

Already, new red bandannas with a message signalling a new round of political struggle and conflict is available in front of the besieged parliament at Bt20. It reads: "Operation Defeat the Hijacking Insurrectors, for Democracy".