Thai Govt in Hiding as Protesters Close In

By AMBIKA AHUJA / AP WRITER

BANGKOK — The Thai government insisted on Tuesday it was "fully functional," but refused to disclose where officials were working to avoid attracting more protests by anti-government activists who have vowed to bring the administration to a standstill.

Spokesman Nattawut Sai-gua indicated the government had effectively gone into hiding to avoid thousands of protesters who surrounded the prime minister's temporary headquarters at Bangkok's domestic airport and embarked on a cat-and-mouse chase to block their meetings.

The tactic of evasion and avoidance was established on Monday when police yielded as demonstrators pushed past them, even though the protesters sometimes showered them with expletives in an apparent effort to provoke a violent response to discredit the authorities.

The government evidently seeks to turn the tables on the protesters, who in past actions managed to attract public sympathy with claims of police brutality.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat was in Peru for a summit of Pacific-Rim leaders and was not expected back until Wednesday. But when he returns he will confront the latest twist in Thailand's political crisis—and the need to find a new office space.

Protesters seeking Somchai's resignation have occupied his Bangkok headquarters, known as Government House, since August 26, forcing him to relocate to a makeshift office in the VIP area of the former international airport.

Thousands of protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) surrounded the government's makeshift offices at Don Muang airport on Tuesday, a day after blockading parliament and forcing the postponement of an important parliamentary session.

Police made no attempt to break up the demonstrations, standing aside as protesters blockaded parliament on Monday. At the old airport, the police left an office compound when officials did, leaving the protesters free to rally but without a target.

Army Commander Gen Anupong Paochinda told reporters on Tuesday that the army would not resort to violent means while "keeping peace and order to protect the public and uphold important institutions like the monarchy."

The siege of the temporary government office was apparently part of the protesters' strategy to fan out across the city in a bid to interrupt government meetings whenever and wherever they take place.

"We'll protest until there is no cabinet meeting," said a protest leader, Somsak Kosaisuk. "We'll interrupt their every attempt to ruin the country further."

The weekly cabinet meeting is usually held on Tuesdays but was changed to Wednesday because of Somchai's absence.

A few thousands protesters marched later on Tuesday from the airport to the nearby Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, where they believed a government meeting was taking place. But the cabinet meeting they hoped to disrupt is actually supposed to take place on Wednesday.

"The government is fully functional and continues to work as usual, but we cannot disclose where the government is working right now because it will provoke PAD and might cause a lot of trouble," said spokesman Nattawut, speaking to The Associated Press by telephone.

He added that the government "intends to negotiate with PAD to get the temporary government house back in a few days."

However, a strike called by state enterprise unions to disrupt air, road and rail service in support of the protest fizzled _ the second time unionists have failed to deliver on promises of a crippling work stoppage.

The protesters, seeking the resignation of what they allege is a corrupt government, camped overnight at Don Muang airport.

Nattawut said more than 1,000 government employees evacuated the offices at Don Muang airport on Monday afternoon.

The airport's VIP section is about half a mile (1 kilometer) from the main passenger terminal, which handles mostly domestic flights, and protesters showed no immediate sign of trying to disrupt travel.

However, travelers were advised to arrive early for flights, and traffic was expected to be heavier than usual because of the protest, the airport's deputy director, Viroj Ewcharoen, said in a statement.

Tuesday's activities marked the second day of what the PAD calls its "final showdown" with the government.