Leaders of Thai anti-government protests were swiftly granted bail yesterday 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.
Sondhi had late on Thursday called on cheering crowds at the Government House compound to march to the national police headquarters in Bangkok on Oct. 13 to protest a recent crackdown.
Thousands of protesters on Tuesday marched on parliament to try and stop a speech by new Thai 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 Somchai 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 yesterday 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.
“I am open to options from all sides ... but I have to use my own judgment on what is the most appropriate action,” Somchai told reporters yesterday.
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 on Thursday revoked arrest warrants on the serious charges of insurrection, paving the way for the seven men, including PAD co-founder Sondhi, to give themselves up.
Also on Thursday, 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.
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