At 2:45 p.m. on Monday 17 July 2000, the Chuan government ordered more than 1,000 policemen to forcibly remove protesters of the Assembly of the Poor from the area around Government House. One group of 200 protesters inside the grounds of the Government House were arrested and removed by approximately 600 policemen and women from the area in more than ten vehicles. Most of those arrested were senior citizens, women, and children, one of them being only two years old. The other group of 500 protesters were pushed and beaten back across the Prempracha canal by about 500-600 police armed with batons and shields. About 30 villagers were injured, two of them seriously.

Somparn Kuendee, advisor to the Assembly and a staff member of the Southeast Asia Rivers Network (SEARIN), reported by cell phone just prior to being arrested, that a presentative of the police announced to the protesters that they had trespassed onto government property and would be arrested.

At 3:15 p.m., a press conference was held at the SEARIN office by the Academics for the Poor led by Professor Nidhi Iaosriwong from Chiang Mai University and Mr. Somchai Sirichai of the Northern Farmer's

Network. Professor Nidhi argued for the need to understand the historical context of the protest staged by the Assembly of the Poor, particularly the Pak Moon villagers. They demanded the immediate release of the arrested protesters, and called for the government to comply fully with the recommendations of the committee set up to address the 16 conflicts under the banner of the Aseembly of the Poor. Most immediate was the opening of the gates at Pak Mun Dam, but also the remaining 15 unresolved issues, seven covering dams, another seven concerning land rights, and a final one concerning the negative effects of the Chong Mek Development Project.

Professor Nidhi urged that the people in Bangkok and in Thai society in general recognize the government's illegitimate use of violence and the narrow-minded and undemocratic attitude prevalent in the Democrat-led government that he says is being used against powerless segments of Thai society. He explained that the occupying of the premises of the Government House should be seen as their attempt to negotiate with a government that refuses to listen to their long-standing problems. Denied any other avenues to have their grievances heard, they were being given only this choice. He explained that the middle classes should understand that the protesters were not initiating any violence or merely agitating but have, on the contrary, been ignored and deprived of their right to register their grievance.

Mr. Somchai condemned the government, demanded the immediate release of the detained villagers, and called upon international networks of friends and those concerned to take action, such as staging protests outside Royal Thai Embassies, especially in Washington, D.C., Tokyo, Sydney and any country of the European Union.