Free speech

[Flashermac]

THE NATION

24 April 2006

 

 

Furious mob forces PAD leaders to hide in Udon university

 

 

About 1,000 demonstrators launched a furious attack against two key members of the anti-Thaksin political alliance yesterday in this north-eastern city, blockading the venue where they were scheduled to speak and pelting them with rocks when they tried to leave.

 

The protesters forced the cancellation of the seminar and prevented Peoples' Alliance for Democracy (PAD) spokesman Suriyasai Katasila and PAD member Chaiwat Sinsuwong from leaving the venue for nine hours.

 

The two were pelted with stones, water bottles, sandals and anything close at hand when they tried unsuccessfully to pass through the blockade around Rajabhat Udon Thani University.

 

Police managed to get them out safely at about 6.30pm and promptly escorted them to Udon Thani Airport for a flight back to Bangkok.

 

Seminar participants who tried to leave the venue were also pelted with projectiles and abused. They were forced to take refuge in the university's auditorium as the demonstrators refused to ease the blockade.

 

Yesterday's incident in Udon Thani resembled two cases on March 30 when supporters of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai Party barricaded the head office of Khom Chad Luek newspaper in Bangkok for eight hours while others attacked Democrat Party leaders during a public campaign in Chiang Mai.

 

Suriyasai and Chaiwat were scheduled to speak at the university in a seminar on the political outlook following Thaksin's announcement that he would not take the prime minister's post after the April 2 snap election to pave the way for political reform.

 

Before the seminar began at 9am, about 200 people led by Sompong Channam, president of the Khon Rak Udon Club, and community radio host Kwanchai Sarakham, gathered outside the university to demand the seminar be cancelled.

 

Thai Rak Thai Udon Thani MP-elect Wichai Chaijitvanitkul met the protesters at about 9am and delivered a speech. About 800 more people subsequently arrived and the group began moving towards university buildings, forcing police and security guards to close the gates.

 

Scores of demonstrators, however, managed to sneak in and tried to reach Suriyasai and Chaiwat.

 

The escalating tension from the protest forced organisers to cancel the seminar.

 

Escorted by police, Suriyasai and Chaiwat tried to leave the university at about 11am but were driven back by the protesters. Seminar participants who tried to make their way out were also driven back inside.

 

Suriyasai said police told him that the rally escalated into a siege of the university compound after Wichai addressed the crowd.

 

"I was hit in the face with a stone as I tried to leave the premises," he said.

 

Police managed to get Suriyasai and Chaiwat out safely only after the protesters began to disperse.

 

PAD leader Pipop Thongchai denounced the protesters' harassment of Suriyasai and Chaiwat.

 

He said he believed Thai Rak Thai politicians had backed the violent protest.

 

"The caretaker government under Thaksin must take responsibility for this incident," he said.

 

Wichai denied instigating the mobs to barricade the university and attack the two speakers.

 

"I and another Udon Thani MP-elect Tirachai Saenkaew offered to help escort them out and ensure their safety, but they just turned us down," Wichai said.