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Thai PM, court order end to protest BANGKOK — Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej ordered thousands of riot police to remove an anti-government crowd occupying his office compound by yesterday, but protest leaders vowed to stay. “The Prime Minister said it has to end today,” Samak’s chief spokesman Wichianchot Sukchotrat told reporters. “Thousands of police will be deployed to move the protesters out of the Government House.” Wichianchot said police would try to persuade the thousands of flag-waving demonstrators of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to leave the lawn of Government House, the nerve centre of the Thai administration, but would meet any violence with “decisive action”. A court also ordered the protesters to end their campaign and immediately clear surrounding streets they have blocked for two days in a bid to unseat the seven-month-old government. But protest leaders defied the order. “We respect the court’s order, but we don’t have enough time to move out and we will launch an appeal,” said Samran Rodpetch. After the court order, Interior Minister Kowit Wattana told state broadcaster NBT “After the court injunction, police will need to enforce this order,” and told the protesters to leave the compound immediately. Private Thai television TPBS showed dozens of police trucks parked on streets near Government House and NBT reported police doctors and ambulances were on stand-by at police headquarters. — Reuters