Protesters march to DSI, TOT and CAT

Thousands of anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee protesters from the Government Complex rally site yesterday marched on the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), CAT Telecom and TOT Plc, to stage a series of symbolic sieges. 

On arriving at DSI, their first course of action was to chain up the department’s entrance in a symbolic gesture of “occupation” – blocking civil servants from entering the premises. DSI headquarters, CAT and TOT are all located on Chaeng Wattana Road, not far from the Government Complex. 

However, despite an hour-long blackout at the CAT building in Bang Rak, there were no reports of violence at any of the three destinations targeted by protesters.

The march by protesters started out from the Nonthaburi rally site at 10.45am yesterday and headed first to the DSI. However, on arrival, protestors made no attempt to get through the padlocked glass doors – preferring to wait outside and shout for the DSI chief Tarit Pengdith to come out and meet with them.

They blew whistles and shouted: “Where are you Tarit?” Later they used chains to lock the entrance door, in an attempt to stop employees from getting into the building tomorrow. 

Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, declared on Friday night that protesters would occupy all state agencies at the Government Complex in Nonthaburi and nearby CAT Telecom and TOT Plc yesterday.

The protesters began their march to CAT headquarters at 11.52am, and on arrival placed anti-amnesty placards in front of the entrance door as a symbol of their “siege”. They then headed for the TOT Plc headquarters where they arrived at noon, and were greeted in front of the TOT building by Wudthidanai Thitakasikorn, senior executive vice-president of TOT. Wudthidanai told protesters that being taxpayers, they were all welcome to the TOT. 

“We have prepared drinking water, restrooms, and free Wi-Fi for all of you, so please don’t destroy our assets. As all of you are taxpayers, the property here also belongs to you,” Wudthidanai told the protesters. 

The protesters then gathered in the TOT grounds, in front of the TOT building. Some were singing and clapping, while protest leaders urged TOT employees to go on strike to show their opposition of the Thaksin regime. 

Wudthidanai explained that the offices of the building were used to manage live communications signals for satellite television like the Democrat-affiliated Blue Sky and Klai Kang Won satellite channels.

TOT president Yongyuth Wattanasin said the TOT was prepared if protestors stormed their provincial centres, as many of them were installed with electrical power back-up systems. He added that the customer database was not located at the TOT headquarters, which meant it would be able to provide services normally.

Likewise, CAT Telecom CEO Kittisak Sriprasert said CAT had access to a database linkage and backup system. Tarit said that while there were no reports of damage to DSI property, the anti-government protesters’ siege of the DSI office yesterday was a violation of the law. The department would therefore investigate the intrusion and take any necessary legal action necessary. 

Despite calls by protesters for officials not to come to work next week – and their announcement that they would begin seizing state offices from tomorrow onwards - Tarit said the DSI expected officials to come to work as usual, as two temporary sites had already be organised for them. 

The DSI would assess the situation again today before taking any further action. Important files and documents from its besieged office at the Government Complex where removed in advance, in anticipation of the protesters’ plans. The Justice Ministry has reserved a temporary office at Software Park, its former office, which is also situated on Chaeng Wattana Road.