Leaders of Thai anti-government protests were swiftly granted bail today after surrendering to police but have vowed new rallies, raising fears of mounting turmoil days after deadly street clashes. Seven People's Alliance for Democracy (Pad) leaders turned themselves in on arrest warrants for illegal assembly and inciting unrest and were released after about two hours of questioning. "The police have granted bail to all protest leaders unconditionally," said senior Pad leader Sondhi Limthongkul, one of those who surrendered, before heading to a protest camp at the prime minister's offices, which Pad supporters have occupied since late August.
Mr Sondhi had late yesterday called on cheering crowds at the Government House compound to march to the national police headquarters in Bangkok on October 13 to protest a recent crackdown. Thousands of protesters on Tuesday marched on parliament to try and stop a speech by the new prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, prompting clashes with police which left two dead and hundreds injured in the worst street violence in Bangkok in 16 years.
Efforts by Mr Somchai - who has been premier for just over three weeks - to end the months-long campaign against his party have so far failed, and his government appears to have few allies left. Even his former chief negotiator with the protesters said in an interview with the Bangkok Post today that he saw no peaceful way out of the turmoil. "A House dissolution cannot solve the problem," said Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who became the first political casualty of the protests against the current cabinet when he resigned as deputy prime minister on Tuesday.
"The problem can be solved by three institutions - the monarchy, which remains politically neutral, the military, which appears to be not interested in intervening, and the government, which stays above the problem," he said. "So I see (the answer in) a putsch," he told the English-language daily. Mr Somchai, who has said he will set up a commission to investigate Tuesday's violence, has so far remained largely silent on how he will deal with the challenge to his government.
"I am open to options from all sides... but I have to use my own judgement on what is the most appropriate action," he told reporters today. The Pad launched their street campaign in late May, saying the ruling People Power Party (PPP) is running the nation on behalf of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and only came to power because of vote-buying in December elections. Turmoil escalated on August 26 when Pad supporters stormed the prime minister's Government House offices, prompting the Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for nine Pad leaders on charges including insurrection.
But the Appeals Court yesterday revoked arrest warrants on the serious charges of insurrection, paving the way for the seven men, including Pad co-founder Mr Sondhi, to give themselves up. Also yesterday, the Criminal Court freed two other Pad leaders, Chamlong Srimuang and Chaiwat Sinsuwong, on bail, in a ruling greeted by jubilant Pad supporters at Government House as a victory. The PPP has since its election been beset by protests and court decisions against it, one of which removed Somchai's predecessor Samak Sundaravej from office last month and brought in the new cabinet.
Thaksin - who is Somchai's brother-in-law - now lives in England and is seeking political asylum, claiming he will not get a fair trial on corruption charges launched by the junta which toppled him in a coup in September 2006. The army has so far said it will not step in and stage another coup to end the current turmoil. *AFP
