[mynaflzak]

The People's Alliance for Democracy has declared victory after foiling a House meeting to debate the contentious reconciliation bills at parliament yesterday.

As a result, House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont decided to adjourn deliberation of the bills indefinitely.

PAD demonstrators and protesters from the multi-coloured group sealed off all routes leading to parliament, blocking MPs from getting to the House for the debate yesterday.

The demonstrators gathered in front of parliament early in the morning and divided into several groups to block the entrances.

At 9am, some MPs arrived at parliament but could not get in. The lack of a quorum prompted the House to delay the meeting to 1.30pm. The number of protesters grew to about 5,000 in the afternoon. Tensions erupted when protesters blocked Sukhothai Road to prevent MPs from getting into parliament.

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People’s Alliance for Democracy protesters confront police on Phichai Road as they try to block Pheu Thai MPs from entering parliament to attend the deliberation of the controversial national reconciliation bills yesterday. The protesters managed to push their way past the police barrier only to learn the session for the bills had been postponed until next week. The protesters dispersed and said they will regroup on Tuesday.

Police formed a line to stop the yellow shirts from moving closer to the parliament's entrance gates to block arriving MPs. The protesters, however, allowed a few Democrat MPs to get inside.

The stand-off between protesters and police later developed into a minor scuffle when protesters tried to break the police barricade to block one of the entrance gates.

A policeman from Ratchaburi reportedly sustained minor head injuries during the fracas.

The tension eased after the House speaker put off the debate.

PAD spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan read out a statement that the rally had successfully forced a postponement of the debate. This was another victory for PAD protesters, he said.

Mr Parnthep said the PAD's core leaders had resolved that the group will halt its protest temporarily and the rally will resume on Tuesday at 3pm at Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge on Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

Mr Somsak said the House will meet again on Wednesday and Thursday but he hinted that the meeting would probably give priority to other pending legislation bills over the four proposed reconciliation bills, which had been moved to the top of the agenda by a majority on Thursday.

The House speaker said he had not yet determined when the House would resume deliberation of the bills.

Democrat Party deputy leader Jurin Laksanavisit urged the government to withdraw the bills from parliament. The bills would only deepen visions in society rather than create unity, he said.

United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship co-leader Jatuporn Prompan yesterday accused the PAD and the Democrats of trying to incite violence to pave the way for another coup to topple the Pheu Thai-led government.

At a press conference to explain the stance of the UDD held at Imperial Lat Phrao shopping centre, Mr Jatuporn claimed that the yellow shirts and the Democrats planned to create conditions for a coup, as happened in 2006.

Mr Jatuporn called on the red shirts to stay cool, stay put and closely follow the political situation.

In the event of a coup, red shirts in all provinces must travel to Bangkok and join forces at the Democracy Monument, which would be the centre for the fight against the coup, said Mr Jatuporn.

He told the red shirts to wait for a signal from UDD chairwoman Tida Tawornseth, co-leader Nattawut Saikuar or himself before moving to the capital. Without an order from one of these three leaders, the red shirts must stay put in their provinces.

However, Mr Jatuporn urged red-shirt supporters to avoid confrontation with PAD protesters opposing the reconciliation bills.