The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) agreed yesterday to end its occupation of the Interior Ministry to avoid a possible confrontation with local officials threatening to retake it today.
Authorities led by Pol Lt Gen Adul Narongsak, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, and senior ministry officials held talks with PDRC key leader Thaworn Sienneam at the Defence Ministry to convince the demonstrators to return the Interior Ministry to the caretaker government.
The meeting took place on the eve of an 80,000-strong rally of kamnans and village heads from around the country who are travelling to Bangkok to press the PDRC to end its occupation of their main office. Some have already arrived in the capital.
Police deputy spokesman Pol Maj Gen Anucha Romayanond said after the meeting that the PDRC agreed to the return but he did not say when it would take place.
The anti-government group set a condition that it will hand over the Interior Ministry only to national police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew and Gen Apirat Kongsompong, commander of the 1st Division, Kings Guard, before allowing soldiers to go inside the compound to assess the damage and take over the place, he added.
The Interior Ministry was occupied by the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand first in November before handing over the office to the Labour Solidarity Committee and State Enterprises Workers Relation Confederation, an ally of the PDRC.
The PDRC decided to vacate the office to prevent a conflict which could potentially erupt when officials from the ministry show up there today, he added.
Suthep Thaugsuban, PDRC secretary-general, said he will take PDRC supporters at the Interior Ministry to join the PDRC’s rally at Lumpini park. He said the return of the ministry is part of the PDRC’s fighting strategies against the caretaker government. The ministry will be taken care by police and soldiers after this.
About 80,000 kamnans and village heads were expected to show up to retake the Interior Ministry from anti-government protesters today, a leader of the local administration officers in Chiang Mai said.
Kamoldit Rojthanawipat, chief of the association of kamnan and village heads in Chiang Mai, said yesterday about 1,100 members of his group will travel from the provincial city hall by 26 coaches to join forces with local administrators in Lamphun in Muang district before heading to Bangkok.
The officials will gather at Sanam Luang, where about 80,000 kamnans and village heads from around the nation are expected to join them. The group, wearing uniforms, would go together to oust any protesters still occupying the ministry.