21 PAD leaders ready to surrender to police

"The PAD leaders will surrender to the police because they are confident their charges will be cleared," he said.

Suriyasai said they will give themselves up at the Metropolitan Police Bureau and that the PAD will request that the police investigators involved in the violent dispersal of the crowds be removed from the case.

Senior police officers responsible for the crackdown, namely Lt-General Suchart Muenkaew, Lt-General Panupong Singhara and Maj-General Amnuay Nimmano, must be removed before the rally organisers are charged, he said.

During the surrender, the PAD leaders will also remind the police about the apparent lack of progress in the investigation into attacks made at the PAD rally site in Government House, he said. The attacks included several firings of M-79 grenade launchers.

Of the 21 PAD leaders some currently hold offices and should be given the chance to clear their names instead of being targeted hastily and forced to quit their jobs, he said.

The lead investigator, Amnuay, has said that he had no objections to time being granted for the preparation of defence before the PAD leaders report to police. He said the police were prepared to take statements from the 21 leaders in a single session. Should the questioning proceed smoothly, the police would not be against the suspects' temporary release, he added.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his government was not involved in any police proceedings against the PAD leaders.

Abhisit also said that he had not heard about the PAD leaders wanting to have him intervene and replace the incumbent investigators. He said all cases related to last year's political turmoil would proceed at their own pace based on evidence, denying allegations that the government had arbitrated to bring about selective prosecution.

He added the police had told him that the investigation on the seizure of two Bangkok airports in December was about 80 per cent complete.

In a separate development, the Office of Permanent Secretary for the PM's Office had decided to drop litigation against the PAD for encroaching on Government House, which is state property.

Between August and December, the PAD occupied the seat of government and turned it into its main rally site.

The authorities filed an eviction lawsuit on August 27 asking the Criminal Court to penalise six PAD leaders and have the crowds move out of the government property.

The court had initially ruled to grant an injunction for the eviction of the protesters, but since violence erupted during the enforcement of the temporary court order, the injunction was suspended.

Litigation was deemed as no longer necessary because the PAD had ended its protests after the Somchai Wongsawat government was forced out by the shutting down of Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.