<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>August 30, 2008, 2.48 pm (Singapore time)
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Thai protesters break into PM's office
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BANGKOK - About 45 protesters used bolt cutters to break into Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's abandoned office on Saturday, after five days of occupying the grounds surrounding the building.
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</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>Thai anti-government protestors shout slogans as they hold a siege of the Government House in Bangkok</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>One of the activists said that protest leader Chamlong Srimuang had ordered them to force open the doors so that he could use the offices himself.
The so-called People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has led thousands of protesters in anti-government rallies since May, but they stepped up their campaign on Tuesday as they marched into the Government House compound and set up camp.
About 15,000 protesters were squatting there at midday on Saturday, one day after the rally erupted into skirmishes with riot police, causing minor injuries and setting nerves on edge.
'Chamlong told us to clean up the mess left by police, so that PAD's five supreme leaders can use the offices inside the building during the rally,' the activist said.
The protests also spread outside Bangkok as activists marched on three key regional airports, including on the resort isle of Phuket.
Phuket's airport remained shut on Saturday, but the southern town of Hat Yai resumed air services in the morning, aviation officials said. -- AFP
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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Thai protesters break into PM's office
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>BANGKOK - About 45 protesters used bolt cutters to break into Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's abandoned office on Saturday, after five days of occupying the grounds surrounding the building.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>Thai anti-government protestors shout slogans as they hold a siege of the Government House in Bangkok</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>One of the activists said that protest leader Chamlong Srimuang had ordered them to force open the doors so that he could use the offices himself. The so-called People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has led thousands of protesters in anti-government rallies since May, but they stepped up their campaign on Tuesday as they marched into the Government House compound and set up camp.
About 15,000 protesters were squatting there at midday on Saturday, one day after the rally erupted into skirmishes with riot police, causing minor injuries and setting nerves on edge.
'Chamlong told us to clean up the mess left by police, so that PAD's five supreme leaders can use the offices inside the building during the rally,' the activist said.
The protests also spread outside Bangkok as activists marched on three key regional airports, including on the resort isle of Phuket.
Phuket's airport remained shut on Saturday, but the southern town of Hat Yai resumed air services in the morning, aviation officials said. -- AFP
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