BANGKOK, Sept 19 — Anti-government demonstrators forced their way into the Tha Prachan campus of Thammasat University, set up their stage in its football field and planned to move to the nearby Sanam Luang field in the evening.
Before the break-in, demonstration leaders Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul and Panupong Jadnok sought entry from the security guards of the university for 20 minutes but to no avail, Thai news agency (TNA) reported.
Then the group pushed the gate and led followers to the football field in front of the Dome Building. They used a truck carrying loudspeakers as their stage and planned to move demonstrators to Sanam Luang in the evening.
Meanwhile, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Pol Lt Gen Pakkapong Pongpetra issued an order to ban public assembly in a radius of 50 metres around the Supreme Court and Government House until the end of the anti-government rally.
Fire fighters parked four fire engines inside Government House while security authorities were assessing situations from the 1st Infantry Regiment, the King’s Guard. Security officials to monitor the movements of protest leaders, watch out for any party with ill intention and estimate the number of protesters from other provinces.
Barriers and concertina wires were installed to protect the Royal Thai Army headquarters that stands on the way from the protest site to Government House.
— Bernama
