Police announced that they would take legal actions against the five leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy for alleged treason.

Police said they are in the process of gathering evidence for taking the action.

But PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said he was not afraid and ready to be arrested.

He said his arrest would mean the defeat of the government.

The Nation

Govt won't declare state of emergency

BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said on Tuesday the government would not declare a state of emergency after thousands of anti-government demonstrators stormed the Government House compound, a state-owned TV station and several ministries.

Core leaders of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) vowed they would not vacate Government House where the premier would otherwise be seated unless the government resigns.

In his warning to protesters, Mr. Samak said his government still had several steps and equipment which could be used to deal with the protests but it did not want to exercise them as they could "damage the atmosphere".

The prime minister accused the anti-government coalition of trying to provoke bloodshed that would spark a coup to oust his government.

"They want bloodshed in the country, they want the military to come out and stage a coup again," he said foreign media at royal Thai armed forces headquarters.

The premier insisted the police would not resort to force and would exercise a soft and gentle approach by using legal action against the protesters.

So far 85 protesters were arrested by the police.

A court is expected to issue arrest warrant for more than five PAD leaders on Wednesday, the Bangkok chief of police said late Tuesday.

Pol. Lt-Gen. Aswin Kwanmuang said his Bangkok Metropolitan Police office has demanded that the PAD members and supporters must withdraw from every government office they had occupied by 6 pm Tuesday, but his order was ignored by the demonstrators.

Meanwhile, Thai journalists denounced the Tuesday morning raid on the state-owned television station National Broadcasting Services of Television (NBT) by a group of armed protesters who claimed to be linked to the PAD as an unacceptable act, posing a threat to media freedom.

The group of protesters armed with knives, guns and golf clubs stormed the NBT early in the morning, citing the station was a government mouthpiece.

The Confederation of Thai Journalists, Thai Journalists Association and Thai Broadcast Journalists Association issued a joint statement, saying such an act was “the gravest and blatant violations of media freedom to date.”

The statement said the protestors should have sought to use legal means and the arbitration of constitution rather than resorting to force and cutting off the station’s broadcasting signal. The three organisations also called on all media agencies to adhere to integrity and accuracy, while refraining from any action which might escalate the conflicts.

TNA

Protesters vow to protest until government resigns

BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) - Core leaders of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) whose thousands of members and supporters converged on Thailand's seat of government Tuesday, seizing the prime minister's offices and other government premises early Tuesday, vowing they will not vacate Government House where Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej would otherwise be seated unless the government resigns.

By Tuesday evening, the protesters continued to occupy the bridge in front of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific building where they have held rallies since May 25 and the nearby Government House, as well as the broadcast facilities for state-owned NBT television station, Radio Thailand and the government's Public Relations Department in Bangkok.

The protesters have also blocked roads and highways from the south to Bangkok and from the capital to Thailand's northern and northeastern regions since early Tuesday.

Somsak Kosaisuk, a core leader of the PAD, told hundreds of protesters seated on the lawn in front of Government House that the PAD would not leave until the coalition government resigns.

Anti-riot policemen were seen guarding the inside entrances of buildings within the Government House compound in a bid to prevent the demonstrators from entering.

One hour after the protesters scaled the iron gates and occupied Government House, Sondhi Limthongkul, another PAD core leader, turned up and told the demonstrators that the PAD would not leave until it has achieved a victory.

Mr. Sondhi said the demonstrators would not damage Government House property and would not intrude inside the buildings.

Demonstrators will continue rallying at Government House until there is a political reform whereby people have full rights to participate, said Mr. Sondhi.

As PAD core leaders pledged to continue rallying and demanding that the government quit, Mr. Samak told a press conference earlier that stringent legal measures would be applied against them and any others who had damaged government property, including at the NBT television station.

TNA

Riot police surround protesters

RIOT police have taken up positions outside Bangkok's Government House, where thousands of protesters are camped out after storming the compound to demand the prime minister resign, police said.

Deputy police spokesman Major General Surapol Tuanthong said a few officers and protesters had received minor injuries during scuffles as police tried to break through the gates of Government House, but he vowed to avoid violence.

"Police have surrounded Government House and have taken up their positions. They are not going to disperse the crowd - we are trying to negotiate," Maj-Gen Surapol said.

Yesterday, up to 35,000 protesters seized a state-run television station, invaded the grounds of Government House and besieged at least three ministries in their efforts to cripple premier Samak Sundaravej's administration.

Maj-Gen Surapol said about 8000 protesters remained in the enclosure at the seat of government, but declined to disclose how many police were deployed, saying only that it was enough to protect public property.

"Police needed to reshuffle so that the officers who were on duty since yesterday can take a rest. I still insist that as of now police will not use force to disperse protesters," he said.

Army-run Thai television Channel Seven earlier reported that "thousands" of police were outside the seat of government, and said Interior Minister Kowit Wattana had entered the compound to negotiate with leaders.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has been protesting since May, claims Samak is running the country on behalf of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and is barred from holding office.

Most of the protesters remained calm early today, sitting on the manicured lawns of Government House and listening to speeches.

"This is the time that the authorities will storm into the Government House," Chamlong Srimuang, one of the protest leaders, told the crowds.

"They know they cannot let protesters stay because we will make trouble for the Government. There are a lot of people who want to join us but have been blocked by the police."

Mr Samak said yesterday that the Government's approach would be "soft and gentle", and said police would simply surround the seat of government until everyone had left and would not let the protests get out of hand.

"They (the PAD) want bloodshed in the country, they want the military to come out and stage a coup again," Mr Samak said.

"I will not resign, I will stay to protect this country," he added.

News.com.au

-----------------------

I am surprised that the International Media has taken so long to pick up this story, there was nothing about it at News.com.au until just yesterday