PAD supporters guard ASTV from being taken off air

Around 200 supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday banded together to guard the ASTV station and Manager newspaper offices on Phra Athit road amid rumours Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was going to take the cable TV channel off the air. The PAD demonstrators walked from the protest ground at Government House in the late morning before separating into two groups.

The first stood guard in front of Ban Chao Phraya where the ASTV station is located while another group gathered nearby outside the Manager newspaper office at Ban Phra Athit.

The PAD supporters came together to protect the ASTV station from any disruption to its broadcasts, including a possible attack by supporters of the pro-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).

Earlier, a rumour went around that the station, owned by PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul, would be taken off the air on the orders of Mr Samak.

In the evening, about 500 PAD guards placed old tyres, railings and barbed wires at two sections of Phra Athit road to foil any attempts to cause disturbances at the station.

Behind the layer of defences, the PAD guards armed with sticks, golf clubs, metal bars and catapults stayed put.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court yesterday dismissed an appeal to revoke arrest warrants for nine PAD leaders on charges of inciting insurrection.

Narat Imsuksri, Criminal Court secretary, said the nine PAD leaders could file another appeal. PAD lawyer Nathaporn Toprayoon plans to do so with the Appeals Court today.

Supachai Jaisamut, secretary to the Interior Minister, said investigators were in the process of taking legal action against Mr Sondhi's son Jittanart, one of the executives of Thaiday Dot Com Co, which operates the ASTV station, and 30 other PAD figures for insurrection and invasion of government offices following its controversial broadcasts in violation of the state of emergency.

PAD leader Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang warned that if ASTV was closed, electricity to all politicians, especially Mr Samak's house, would be cut off.

Army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda said that biased media reports by state-owned television station NBT and ASTV had brought the political situation to a critical point. Measures to monitor the two stations might be put in place.

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