Protesters blockade Parliament second day; Legislators convene at Foreign Ministry

Protesters blockade Parliament second day; Legislators convene at Foreign Ministry

BANGKOK, Dec 30 (TNA) - Insistent anti-government demonstrators demanding dissolution of Thailand's lower house of Parliament to force a fresh national election blocked the entrances of the kingdom's legislative body for the second day Tuesday morning, preventing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva from delivering his coalition government's policy statement. The coalition government of Democrat leader Abhisit moved decisively to convene Parliament at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to a top aide of the prime minister. Satit Wongnongtoey, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office, announced that the government had opted to change the venue and convene Parliament at the ministry. Prime Minister Abhisit and the Democrat Party members of parliament were already at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 10 am, after being rebuffed by unyielding protesters at outside the grounds of the Parliament buildings. Police officials negotiating with the protesters, led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), tried to open the way through the Red Shirted crowd to allow the lawmakers to enter the compound for the speech scheduled for 9.30am but the talks failed. The policy statement was originally scheduled to start on Monday at 9.30am but the blockades forced Parliament speaker Chai Chidchob to postpone the session twice before being rescheduled to Tuesday. Riot police inside the compound tried to push open one of the main gates to open the way, but they were forced back by the protesters. The UDD Red Shirt protesters are loyal to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled in a military coup in 2006 and is now a fugitive, having jumped bail during legal proceedings against him in August. They camped overnight in front of the Parliament after successfully preventing the session on Monday. The protesters said the MPs and Senators could enter Parliament only by foot, and that the UDD, which called on Prime Minister Abhisit to dissolve Parliament, would not obstruct but would help them walk through. However, in the last analysis, House Speaker Chai was unsure regarding the safety of the MPs if they walk through crowd of protesters . The UDD core leaders said the demonstration at Parliament would continue during the government's plan to deliver its policy statement. If the venue is changed, the UDD will follow the MPs to the new venue wherever the meeting is to be held. They said the UDD objected to the manner in which Mr. Abhisit had achieved the prime minister's post.