Sunday, 23 November 2008

Tension rises

People’s Alliance for Democracy supporters take the body of Jenkit Kladsakorn to the Metropolitan Police Bureau, demanding justice and action for his death. Jenkit was killed in a bomb blast at the PAD protest site on Thursday. — Thiti Wannamontha

Bangkok Post
Saturday November 22, 2008

(BangkokPost.com, with agency reports)

A new grenade attack killed a member of the People's Alliance for Democracy as the group marshalled supporters for a huge rally on Sunday to shut down parliament and oust the government.

A new grenade attack killed a member of the People's Alliance for Democracy as the group marshalled supporters for a huge rally on Sunday to shut down parliament and oust the government.

Police said a round fired from a Vietnam war-era M-79 grenade launcher exploded among a group of guards working for the PAD at Government House.

The area has been occupied by the PAD since August.

Saturday's explosion occurred shortly after 2am at a guard post outside the compound. The weapon and drive-by tactic was the same as an incident on Thursday which killed one PAD protester and wounded more than 20 inside the compound.

No one took responsibility for the blast. Police said the grenade was fired from somewhere nearby but could not pinpoint the location or suggest who would have fired it.

PAD core leader Chamlong Srimuang, said the grenade was launched from the headquarters of the Bangkok Metropolitan police about 150 metres away.

"The grenade was fired from the (police) headquarters. This proves the attackers were government security forces or bad guys who are supported by the government," he told about 2,000 PAD members from the stage at Government House.

Maj-Gen Chamlong and colleagues have claimed that the government is behind violent attacks on the PAD.

They have used this conspiracy theory to recruit crowds for a street protest in Bangkok aiming again to topple the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. Similar rallies since May 25 have called on the government to resign.

He said the mass march will start late on Sunday and continue into Monday to "finish off" the government. He did not tell the crowd his destination, but it is assumed to be parliament.

On Monday, a joint House-Senate session of parliament is due to consider draft laws and a series of treaties for the Asean summit in Chiang Mai in three weeks.

Speaking to the crowd, he said the protesters will march from government house, but did not name the destination - although most expect it will be Parliament, where the government plans to meet Monday morning.

"Police will be responsible for control of the situation but the military will be on call to support police in keeping order," army spokesman Col Sansern Khaewkamnerd said.

The army "highly recommended" parliament move its meeting, to try to avoid a repeat of the Oct 7 crackdown which led to the death of a PAD protester.

House Speaker Chai Chidchob said he had no authority to order such a change. If the army really parliament to hold its session elsewhere, it should provide facilities equivalent to those available at parliament.

Senate Speaker Prasobsuk Boondej said technically the meeting could be relocated to avoid confrontation but Mr Chai just was not willing to move.

Bangkok police chief Pol Gen Jongrak Jutanon said there will be 2,400 police stationed at parliament by Sunday afternoon. "I hope the protesters do not obstruct members of parliament from doing their duty," he said Saturday.

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