Protest in Thailand

http://bangkokpost.com/News/30Nov2005_news54.php

UNDER SIEGE

All protesters' paths lead to Govt House


Yuwadee Tunyasiri

At least 10,000 people pushing a variety of causes protested
spontaneously outside Government House yesterday, all determined to
make their voices heard.

There was also a security clampdown to keep unwelcome visitors from
entering the building as the government faced a united show of force
from demonstrators stringent in their demands that their various
plights be given serious attention.

Dairy farmers brought raw milk and emptied the containers out in front
of the compound, demanding action to solve the milk glut and falling
incomes.

Express Transport Organisation workers protested against the planned
shutdown of the debt-ridden state trucking agency.

Others demonstrated against an amendment to article 80 of the Frequency
Allocation Act; disabled protesters demanded new mass transit lines
have facilities for them; while a group of teachers gathered in support
of allowing schools to be transferred to local administrative
organisations.

And at the Education Ministry, not far from Government House, at least
20,000 teachers rallied in opposition to the transfer of their schools
to local bodies.

As the pressure mounted, Padung Limcharoenrat, adviser to Deputy Prime
Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and a close aide to
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, ordered security tightened around
Government House. Access was limited to only two points of entry.

The restriction coincided with government action to regulate the
movements of the reporters working in and around the area.

All reporters were required to wear an entry pass issued by Government
House to get inside and all vehicles were barred, except those
allocated to cabinet members.

Teachers' representatives led by Preecha Chitsing, director of
Education Zone 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima, were allowed in to present a
bouquet of flowers to Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai.

They had gathered to support the government's policy to transfer
schools to local administrative bodies.

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