Protesters solidify grip on Thailand airports

BANGKOK, Monday

Anti-government protesters consolidated their positions at Thailand’s besieged main airport today as attention shifted to a court verdict that could end the crisis.

Officials from the People’s Alliance for Democracy (Pad) said they were shifting the focus of their protest from Government House in central Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi Airport, which they took over last Tuesday night, paralysing flight traffic and leaving thousands of tourists stranded.

Ms Anchalee Paireerak said Pad would maintain a presence through its “security guards” at Government House, which it overran in August, but would no longer be running a round-the-clock protest at the site.

“Everything has been moved to Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang,” she said, referring to the two airports that the protesters have taken over.
Thousands of yellow-clad Pad protesters defied police and occupied Suvarnabhumi for a seventh day today in a campaign to topple Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, whom they accuse of being a pawn for his brother-in-law, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a 2006 coup and exiled since.

The main domestic hub, Don Muang, has also been occupied, and the air cargo industry ground to a halt.

The general manager of Suvarnabhumi said it could take a week to resume operations when the protesters finally leave, because security and computer systems had been compromised during the blockade.

Also on Tuesday comes the end of a vote fraud case that could deliver a crippling blow to the six-party coalition government.

The Constitutional Court has moved with uncharacteristic speed to wrap up the case and is widely expected to order the disbanding of Somchai’s People Power Party (PPP) and two other coalition partners.

If it does, Mr Somchai and other leaders would be barred from politics and many cabinet ministers would have to step down. (Reuters)