The government yesterday gave in to the Pak Moon protesters' demand and agreed the cabinet will consider the recommendations of the committee set up to solve the protracted conflict.

A corrections official asks cameramen not to take pictures of villagers caught for trespassing on Government House, as they arrive at Klong Prem central prison yesterday. - Jetjaras Na Ranong

Interior Minister Banyat Bantadtan said the cabinet would on Tuesday be advised to approve the opening of the Pak Moon dam gates and that a new committee be set up to monitor the impact on fish migration.

Mr Banyat's recommendation to the cabinet essentially caps the immediate, short-term measures to solve the conflict as recommended by the government-appointed panel.

The committee headed by academic Banthorn On-dam submitted its recommendations on 16 sets of problems, including Pak Moon, to Mr Banyat in the middle of last month. Until now there has been no response.

Mr Banyat was speaking after a meeting also attended by PM's Office Minister Savit Bhodivihok, who is in charge of energy affairs and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the dam operator, but who had been conspicuously absent during the height of the conflict.

Mr Savit said the meeting, attended by all concerned agencies, agreed with the Banthorn panel's resolution that the dam gates be opened from May to August. It would not agree to the Assembly of the Poor's demand that they be opened permanently. Too much had been invested in the dam, which was still needed to generate renewable energy.

Villagers celebrate their release on bail from Klong Prem central prison in Bang Khen yesterday. _ JETJARAS NA RANONG

Mr Banyat said many of the committee's resolutions could be implemented immediately and some already have been.

The opening of all seven gates of Rasi Salai dam in Si Sa Ket was ordered recently by Arthit Ourairat, minister of science, technology and environment.

The meeting also agreed to order environmental and social impact studies for other projects not yet started, including Pong Khun Phet dam and Hua Na weir.

On land and forest encroachment problems, Mr Banyat said the Agriculture Ministry agreed to re-survey forest boundaries as requested by villagers. Once boundaries are established, villagers would be granted rights to work on the land. They would not issued deeds unless they could prove their occupation before the forest reserves were established.

On disputes over encroachment of other public land, specifically at Chong Mek pass on the Lao border in Ubon Ratchathani, Mr Banyat said the Interior Ministry was ready to begin a survey to establish entitlement.

The ministry would not settle problems with public land controlled by local administrations, but would work with them in trying to solve the issues.

"You could say all these proposals do not correspond exactly with the committee's resolutions because some of them could not be done for legal or other reasons," Mr Banyat said.

A source said the committee to be set up to oversee the Pak Moon dam gate opening would likely include the governor of Ubon Ratchathani, Egat, the Assembly of the Poor, affected villagers, the Fisheries and Agriculture departments and experts.

After the meeting, Assembly of the Poor representatives were informed of the government's decision, but activists remained sceptical. Paijit Silarak, adviser of the Assembly of the Poor, said Mr Banyat insisted the government would implement only those measures which did not contravene regulations.

It was still possible the Banthorn committee's resolutions would be "alchemied" in the cabinet meeting and the final version would not meet the committee's objectives.

"We'll just have to wait and see how things unfold," said Suriyan Thongnu-iad, an assembly adviser.

Meanwhile, grassroots and activist groups nationwide are preparing to march into Bangkok to join the Pak Moon protest at Government House.

It was predicted the number of protesters could swell to 20,000.

Saneh Wichaiwong, president of the NGO Co-ordinating Committee in the Northeast, condemned the police action in halting protesters trying to enter the Government House compound as barbaric and termed the government dictatorial.

"We will join our brothers and sisters in Bangkok," he said.

The 225 protesters arrested in the melee at Government House were yesterday bailed out by a lawyer who turned out to be connected to the Democrat Party.

The villagers said they had not asked for bail and had intended staying in jail until all their demands were met.

At the dam site in Ubon Ratchathani, workers entered the parking lot previously occupied by the mass of protesters and began dismantling shacks. They were stopped by the few remaining protesters. There was no violence.