Defying CMPO, Interior Ministry still shut

It was "Please leave," "No we'd prefer to stay, thank you" at the Interior Ministry yesterday as PDRC occupiers defied an order by CMPO director Chalerm Yubamrung. Meanwhile security has been increased for the PM.

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The Ministry of the Interior remains a PDRC fortress despite negotiations aimed at getting the protesters to leave. TAWEECHAI TAWATPAKORN

Interior Ministry still shut

Security for PM beefed up

Wassana Nanuam 
Patsara Jikkham

The police failed yesterday to retake the Interior Ministry from the PDRC as instructed by the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) director Chalerm Yubamrung.

Mr Chalerm told the police to force the PDRC protesters from the ministry's compound by 3pm yesterday.

A team of senior police officers were sent to negotiate with the protesters but they failed to persuade the group to leave after two rounds of talks.

Negotiations between the police and protesters at the Interior Ministry yesterday were polite but unsuccessful. THANARAK KHOONTON

PDRC leaders said they would send protesters to shut down all government offices which resume their operations.

Witthaya Kaewparadai, a PDRC leader heading the Lumpini Park rally site, said he had learned that some of the seven government offices near his stage have resumed operations.

They will go to those offices to see if officials have returned to work and shut them down if officials were still working, Mr Witthaya said.

Mr Witthaya said he had information that Department of Special Investigation chief Tarit Pengdith, caretaker deputy prime minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, and caretaker deputy prime minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul are secretly staying in a place near the rally stage.

If the PDRC finds where they are, protesters would go to "ensure security" for them, said Mr Witthaya.

Meanwhile, the National Security Council (NSC) has stepped up security for caretaker prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to prevent any possible attempt by anti-government protesters to capture her.

NSC Chief Paradorn Pattanatabut said 30 companies of military-police were added to Ms Yingluck's security detail at her temporary office at the Defence Permanent Secretary's Office.

Rangsit University graduates pose for a photo with riot police as a backdrop outside Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence in Muang Thong Thani. PATTARAPONG CHATPATTARASILL

The office has become Ms Yingluck's temporary workplace since the PDRC kicked off its ''Bangkok shutdown'' campaign on Jan 13.

The measure became necessary because the demonstrators are now targeting Ms Yingluck, said Lt-Gen Paradorn.

He claimed the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) sent a "fast deployment team" to observe security measures at the Office of the Permanent Security for Defence on Tuesday.

''The NSC needs to put in place this security plan and it will assess the security situation daily,'' he said.

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