PAD declares victory as House Speaker calls off joint parliamentary session

BANGKOK, Nov 24 (TNA) - Key leaders of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) declared victory on Monday after their mass protests at Parliament prompting the cancellation of today's joint session of the House of Representatives and Senate, postponing it indefinitely. PAD core leaders Pipob Thongchai and Somsak Kosaisook said the postponement of the joint parliamentary session was considered an early victory of the protesters after House Speaker Chai Chidchob called off the meeting. The protest leaders vowed to take their protest to every venue of the parliamentary meeting until the session ends this Friday. House Speaker Chai Chidchob adjourned Monday's joint session of Parliament before midday after tens of thousands of protesters surrounded the compound. The joint session was aimed to consider drafted international conventions and treaties to be signed at next month's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai, he said. The protesters claimed that they blocked access to Parliament to obstruct amendments to the Constition from being debated, which they said may be considered during the joint session. Mr. Chai said in a telephone interview that he would reconvene the meeting again when all sides, including the government, the opposition, the senate, and the PAD negotiate and reach a conclusion. Meanwhile, the government assigned its deputy national police chief to negotiate with PAD protest leaders to disperse after tens of thousands of their demonstrators surrounded Parliament Monday morning. Deputy National Police Commissioner Wiroj Phahonwet has been asked to negotiate with the PAD, according to government spokesman Nuttawut Saikua, who said Deputy Prime Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul made the announcement. Mr. Nuttawut said the government hoped the PAD would disperse and that the parliamentary session could begin to consider drafted international conventions and treaties ahead of next month's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.