Thailand

Talks rejected, police order protestors to leave airport

Article published on the 2008-11-28 Latest update 2008-11-28 15:09 TU

Protestors outside Suvarnabhumi airport, 28 November 2008
(Photo: Reuters)

Thai anti-government protesters have rejected attempts to negotiate an end to the siege of two airports in the capital. Swearing they are ready to “fight to the death”, protestors say they will not surrender until Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigns.

Protesters rejected Somchai’s call for talks to negotiate the end of the airport occupations.

"Today the Prime Minister contacted me on the telephone to negotiate,” said People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Sondhi Limthongkul.

“There are no talks," he added, saying he was not afraid of a police crackdown. Police on Friday ordered protesters at Don Mueang airport to leave immediately or face the consequences.

"All protesters must... leave the rally site otherwise law enforcement officers will carry out appropriate and necessary measures to solve the situation," said a police officer, reading from an order.

Prime Minister Somchai on Thursday declared a state of emergency in the two airports occupied by protesters. Police say that 4,000 are in the  Suvarnabhumi international airport and that 2,500 are inside Don Mueang.

Protesters have stretched razor wire three kilometres around Suvarnabhumi, blocking access to roads.

Police reinforcements have been positioned outside, though “not for a crackdown,” the regional police deputy commander Major General Piya Sorntrakoon told the AFP news agency.

“The government does not want to trigger any violence or casualties,” Somchai told reporters in the northern city of Chiang Mai.

The Prime Minister sacked national Police Chief General Patcharawat Wongsuwan on Friday after he failed to reach a peaceful settlement.

Meanwhile, some of the 90,000 travellers who have been stranded in Thailand since Tuesday began to leave the country Friday, as aviation authorities allowed airlines to use the U-Tapao naval base, about 190 klilometres south-east of Bangkok.

“Around 40 flights are going to fly in and out of U-Tapao today [Friday],” said a Civil Aviation Department official.