Hundreds of anti-government protesters forced several dozen Thai riot police to abandon a checkpoint on Saturday as they tightened their siege of the country’s main airport, witnesses said. Around 2,000 People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters forced back about 150 police from a kilometer (0.6 mile) north of Suvarnabhumi Airport, although the incident passed off without violence. The protesters are seeking to oust Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat in the latest escalation in a long-running political crisis. A day after their police chief was sacked for mishandling the protests, commanders on the ground said they would not yet try to evict by force the thousands of protesters at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports. But PAD supporters were taking no chances and on Saturday deflated the tires of ambulances and police vehicles at the police checkpoint. Several vehicles were left stranded in the middle of the road.
The PAD say they are ready for a prolonged siege, with their “security guards” armed with clubs, sticks and golf clubs, and dug in behind a series of barricades of fire trucks, razor wire, car tires and luggage trolleys. PAD co-leader and retired general Chamlong Srimuang told supporters on Saturday not to go to Suvarnabhumi as there were enough people there and instead go to Government House, where the protests started months ago. “Too many people will not help if police shut us there. If you’re on your way here, please go to the Government House because if police shut us here, we’ll still have people to help,” he said. In a televised address on Thursday night, Prime Minister Somchai said the PAD members barricaded at the airports were doing massive damage to the economy, but he would avoid violence to end the protests. “Don’t worry. Officials will use gentle measures to deal with them,” Somchai said, inviting rights groups and journalists to monitor the imposition of emergency rule at the two airports.
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