All Quiet on the Bangkok Front as Unpopular Prime Minister Somchai Wangsawat Dodges Protesters

BANGKOK — A day after he had to climb a fence to flee a blockaded Parliament building, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wangsawat was forced to cut short his meeting with foreign ambassadors amid rumours that anti-government protesters were making their way to the Foreign Ministry. .Mr Somchai, along with Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat, met with diplomats from 80 countries and international organisations yesterday as part of a diplomatic courtesy call. .Mr Somchai, who took office on Sept 25, also used the occasion to try and calm fears of further unrest after Tuesday’s deadly clashes in Bangkok. He told diplomats that foreign investment was still safe in the kingdom. .“My government is committed to ensuring confidence in our political system,” Mr Somchai said, according to a text of his remarks released by the foreign ministry. .“We will resolve domestic problems through the democratic profess,” he added. .However, a planned reception for the ambassadors was called-off amid concerns that thousands of protesters were on their way to the foreign ministry, according to AFP. .The Nation newspaper reported that Mr Somchai only had time for a sip of coffee before rushing to get out of the ministry. But the rumours turned out to be unfounded, with only a handful ofprotesters turning up. .On the streets, there was no sign of renewed clashes between police and protesters but the country’s heated political crisis was far from over, AP reported. .Troops armed with batons and helmets were stationed at the Bangkok police headquarters near Parliament. .A day earlier, anti-government protesters barricaded the building and trapped lawmakers inside for several hours as police outside fired countless volleys of tear gas trying to clear the area. .At least five major confrontations with police left two people dead, as well as423 protesters and 20 police injured, medical authorities said. .The blame game .Both sides accuse the other of having used vicious tactics in Tuesday’s clashes. .One protest leader, Mr Somsak Kosaisuk, accused the government of using “weapons of war” against peaceful protesters. .Questions have arisen over whether tear gas canisters could blow apart limbs, some of the more gruesome injuries suffered by protesters. Demonstrators accused the police of using grenades; the authorities denied the accusations and said they only used tear gas on the crowd. .The country’s media held the police responsible for Tuesday’s violence, with the Bangkok Post saying that “there can be no justification for the authorities to have used such force to disperse the peaceful crowd”. .Leaders of the anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said they would continue their rallies untilMr Somchai’s government steps down. The PAD claims that Mr Somchai is running the government on behalf of his brother-in-law, ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. .“We will fight with our wits to reach our goal, to get justice for people who were injured and died,” PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul said at the Prime Minister’s office, the compound of which demonstrators have occupied since late August. .Meanwhile, even Thailand’s flag carrier found it impossible to stay clear of politics. Thai Airways said yesterday that it would investigate why two lawmakers from Prime Minister Somchai’s People Power Party (PPP) were denied permission to board separate domestic flights from Bangkok. .In one incident, eyewitnesses said the captain came out of the cockpit and announced his flight would not allow “tyrants, PPP MPs or politicians who harm people” to board. .A spokeswoman said Thai Airways had apologised to the lawmakers and a committee would investigate the incidents. “As a state enterprise, Thai Airways has no policy to get involved in politics,” she said. AGENCIES BANGKOK — A day after he had to climb a fence to flee a blockaded Parliament building, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wangsawat was forced to cut short his meeting with foreign ambassadors amid rumours that anti-government protesters were making their way to the Foreign Ministry. .Mr Somchai, along with Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat, met with diplomats from 80 countries and international organisations yesterday as part of a diplomatic courtesy call. .Mr Somchai, who took office on Sept 25, also used the occasion to try and calm fears of further unrest after Tuesday’s deadly clashes in Bangkok. He told diplomats that foreign investment was still safe in the kingdom. .“My government is committed to ensuring confidence in our political system,” Mr Somchai said, according to a text of his remarks released by the foreign ministry. .“We will resolve domestic problems through the democratic profess,” he added. .However, a planned reception for the ambassadors was called-off amid concerns that thousands of protesters were on their way to the foreign ministry, according to AFP. .The Nation newspaper reported that Mr Somchai only had time for a sip of coffee before rushing to get out of the ministry. But the rumours turned out to be unfounded, with only a handful ofprotesters turning up. .On the streets, there was no sign of renewed clashes between police and protesters but the country’s heated political crisis was far from over, AP reported. .Troops armed with batons and helmets were stationed at the Bangkok police headquarters near Parliament. .A day earlier, anti-government protesters barricaded the building and trapped lawmakers inside for several hours as police outside fired countless volleys of tear gas trying to clear the area. .At least five major confrontations with police left two people dead, as well as423 protesters and 20 police injured, medical authorities said. .The blame game .Both sides accuse the other of having used vicious tactics in Tuesday’s clashes. .One protest leader, Mr Somsak Kosaisuk, accused the government of using “weapons of war” against peaceful protesters. .Questions have arisen over whether tear gas canisters could blow apart limbs, some of the more gruesome injuries suffered by protesters. Demonstrators accused the police of using grenades; the authorities denied the accusations and said they only used tear gas on the crowd. .The country’s media held the police responsible for Tuesday’s violence, with the Bangkok Post saying that “there can be no justification for the authorities to have used such force to disperse the peaceful crowd”. .Leaders of the anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said they would continue their rallies untilMr Somchai’s government steps down. The PAD claims that Mr Somchai is running the government on behalf of his brother-in-law, ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. .“We will fight with our wits to reach our goal, to get justice for people who were injured and died,” PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul said at the Prime Minister’s office, the compound of which demonstrators have occupied since late August. .Meanwhile, even Thailand’s flag carrier found it impossible to stay clear of politics. Thai Airways said yesterday that it would investigate why two lawmakers from Prime Minister Somchai’s People Power Party (PPP) were denied permission to board separate domestic flights from Bangkok. .In one incident, eyewitnesses said the captain came out of the cockpit and announced his flight would not allow “tyrants, PPP MPs or politicians who harm people” to board. .A spokeswoman said Thai Airways had apologised to the lawmakers and a committee would investigate the incidents. “As a state enterprise, Thai Airways has no policy to get involved in politics,” she said. AGENCIES BANGKOK — A day after he had to climb a fence to flee a blockaded Parliament building, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wangsawat was forced to cut short his meeting with foreign ambassadors amid rumours that anti-government protesters were making their way to the Foreign Ministry. .Mr Somchai, along with Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat, met with diplomats from 80 countries and international organisations yesterday as part of a diplomatic courtesy call. .Mr Somchai, who took office on Sept 25, also used the occasion to try and calm fears of further unrest after Tuesday’s deadly clashes in Bangkok. He told diplomats that foreign investment was still safe in the kingdom. .“My government is committed to ensuring confidence in our political system,” Mr Somchai said, according to a text of his remarks released by the foreign ministry. .“We will resolve domestic problems through the democratic profess,” he added. .However, a planned reception for the ambassadors was called-off amid concerns that thousands of protesters were on their way to the foreign ministry, according to AFP. .The Nation newspaper reported that Mr Somchai only had time for a sip of coffee before rushing to get out of the ministry. But the rumours turned out to be unfounded, with only a handful ofprotesters turning up. .On the streets, there was no sign of renewed clashes between police and protesters but the country’s heated political crisis was far from over, AP reported.