Protesters break into government complex building

Bangkok post
05/04/2010
Red-shirt protesters forced their way into the building where the Election Commission has its offices in the government complex on Chaeng Wattana Road on Monday afternoon after their demand to meet EC secretary-general Apichart Sukkhakanont was not met by their 2pm deadline.

Red-shirts broke into the building housing the Election Commission offices at the government complex on Chaeng Wattana Road on Monday, demanding the EC give its long-delayed decision on a case which could lead to the dissolution of the Democrat Party, as the government sought a court injunction against the protesters occupying Ratchaprasong intersection. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)

They later withdrew from inside the building after one of their leaders, Kwanchai Praipana, told them to do so.

The protesters this morning gathered outside the multi-storied building, which houses many government departments and independent bodies, and demanded EC to expedite its decision in the 258-million-baht donation case against the Democrat Party. They later set a 2pm deadline for a decision from the EC chairman, promising to camp there if they did not get what they wanted.,
They protest was led by Mr Kwanchai, Suporn Attawong and Arisman Pongruengrong. Mr Arisman exhorted them to enter the building after the deadline passed.

"The red-shirts want to follow up on the Democrat's donation case and would like the EC to dissolve the Democrat Party quickly, the same way it dissolved the People Power Party," Mr Kwanchai said.

Mr Arisman led thousands of red-shirt protesters to break into the hotel in Pattaya where the Asean summit was held in April last year. The protest forced the cancellation of the summit and sparked the Songkran red-shirt riot in Bangkok.
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