Protesters Defy Court Order to Continue Occupation of Thai Government Zone

Thousands of anti-government protesters who have occupied the Thai prime minister's office compound since Tuesday continued their defiant occupation today despite a court order instructing them to leave and arrest warrants for nine of their leaders.

The demonstrators from the rightwing People's Alliance for Democracy are calling on the prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, to resign, accusing him of being a proxy for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and, from his exile in Britain, faces several corruption cases.

Samak ordered 1,000 riot police to close in on the Government House compound yesterday but has deliberately refrained from ordering the use of force.

"I have a sword, but I have chosen not to use it," he told reporters from his temporary headquarters in a military compound in a north Bangkok. "It will be too dangerous."

He has accused the protesters of seeking to provoke a violent government response in the hope that the military will step in with another coup. The army commander has publically insisted that troops will not get involved.

Overnight, dozens of protesters wearing military fatigues and armed with golf clubs, batons and bamboo sticks stood guard around the compound. They locked most of the gates and built up makeshift barriers of tires in anticipation of a police raid.

Thousands more protesters poured into the occupied area in response to the court order, and many formed a human chain overnight around the group's top leaders to prevent them from being taken away. Observers put the total number at around 10,000.

The atmosphere was a cross between a festival and a political rally as they listened to to folk music and vitriol against Samak and his elected government.

Retired general Chamlong Srimuang, an influential former politician and army officer and one of the top alliance leaders, said the protesters are doing nothing wrong.

"We are staging a protest because the government has made too many mistakes and has no legitimacy to run the country," he said.

But deputy police spokesman Maj Gen. Suraphol Tuanthong said the arrest warrants against the leaders were for insurrection, conspiracy, illegal assembly and refusing orders to disperse.

Insurrection, which is the legal equivalent of treason, carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.

Samak initially said he hoped the protesters would be out ahead of a ceremony on Saturday for Thailand's royal family. But today he proposed moving the royal procession to another site.

The climb-down only intensified speculation that Samak and the government are under pressure from anonymous PAD backers thought to come from the anti-Thaksin business elite, army or even the palace.

Revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is officially above politics but who has intervened several times on a variety of sides during his six decades on the throne, has made no public pronouncements since the PAD launched its assault on Tuesday.

Alliance leaders said the group planned to appeal the court order to vacate the government compound. Chamlong said he and other leaders were ready to be arrested, but encouraged supporters to stay on the grounds.