Three leaders of a pro-Thaksin movement have surrendered to police on Tuesday, local media reported.
Natthawut Saikua joined Veera Musigapong and Suporn Atthawong, leaders of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) , who headed to Bangkok Metropolitan Police head office around 11: 18 a.m. local time, The Nation news website said.
Natthawut saw the protesters boarding buses to provincial bus terminals and joined Veera who was helping the officials direct protesters to board the buses, according to The Nation.
National Police Chief Phatcharawat Wongsuwan received the two outside the rally site at the Government House. The police chief came out to meet Veera on Rajdamnone Road outside the rally site and near the Royal Plaza at about 11:50 a.m.
Around 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Veera told protesters at the Government House to disperse, Channel 11 reported. The crowd said that the voluntarily dispersing was not a defeat of the red-shirted movement but was aimed at protecting the life of the protesters, he said.
Meantime, protesters led by the UDD have left Makawan Bridge and Orathai Bridge -- two rally sites in Bangkok, Thailand's PBS reported.
Earlier Tuesday, Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said in a live TV address the army is prepared to disperse the protesters at the Government House, ready to shooting into air, if necessary.
He said there are about 2,000 protesters around the Government House, the only encampment of the protesters now. The spokesman said the army try to negotiate with the protesters first; but if the effort fails, they would use teargas and water cannons to secure the area.
(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2009)
