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Thai Protesters Storm PM's Office, TV Station

Monarchists seek to bring down government; army sits out

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 26, 2008 5:37 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Thousands of protesters have spread out across Bangkok, storming the prime minister's office and forcing Thai state television off the air, reports the BBC. The mass protest movement seeks to force out the government of Samak Sundaravej, whom they see as a stooge for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now on the lam. "We are now controlling most of the key government offices to prevent them from coming to work," said one protest leader.

Although the protest movement calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, the demonstrators are actually royalists who oppose Western-style elections in Thailand. Similar protests by the PAD set the stage for the military coup that brought down Thaksin in 2006. But the head of the military reassured Thais that this time "the army will not launch a coup. "

Demonstrators gather outside Thailand's Government House during a rally Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Demonstrators gather outside Thailand's Government House during a rally Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand.   (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Protesters gather outside British Embassy in Bangkok Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008 to demand that London extradite former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to face criminal charges at home.
Protesters gather outside British Embassy in Bangkok Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008 to demand that London extradite former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to face criminal charges at home.   (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
A Thai demonstrator displays a sign calling for the ouster of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej during a rally outside Government House in Bangkok, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. Samak called Tuesday fro people to end their protest that aimed to topple him from power.
A Thai demonstrator displays a sign calling for the ouster of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej during a rally outside Government House in Bangkok, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. Samak called Tuesday fro people...   (AP Photo/David Longstreath)
Two demonstrators take position atop a building after storming in to a government TV station in Bangkok, Thailand Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008.
Two demonstrators take position atop a building after storming in to a government TV station in Bangkok, Thailand Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008.   (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)
Protestors gather inside the compound of Thailand's Government House Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand, after breaking through barriers.
Protestors gather inside the compound of Thailand's Government House Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand, after breaking through barriers.   (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Protestors scale the fence outside Thailand's Government House Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Protestors scale the fence outside Thailand's Government House Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand.   (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
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Thailand • Bangkok • Thaksin Shinawatra • Samak Sundaravej • People's Alliance for Democracy • Thai protesters

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