A small group of People's Alliance for Democracy security officers broke into the Santhimaitree, a Government House reception hall used for receiving foreign guests and dignitaries, at midday yesterday, saying they wanted to clean up the mess left behind by police.

The hall was temporarily occupied by some of the 1,000plus riot police who pushed their way inside the compound on Friday morning, only to be pushed out just hours later.

PAD security details said they were entering the hall to clean up after the mess left behind by the police.

The Santhimaitree is the building next to the Thai Khu Fah, the main building where Thai prime ministers work.

By midafternoon, PAD leader Pipob Thongchai took to the stage and ordered all protesters to refrain from entering the two main buildings.