STATE officials claim their offices inside the Government House compound were ransacked during the four-month occupation by People's Action for Democracy demonstrators.

The officials returned to their offices for the first time yesterday since PAD protesters stormed the building in late August, to find TVs, computers, notebook computers, digital cameras, video cameras, cabinets and valuable items missing.

'When I opened the door to my office, I was speechless,' an official said on condition of anonymity. 'It's like burglars have broken in.'

Another official said personal belongings were also gone.

'Our office is also like our second home. So, we keep our personal items here too. Some are valuable. Now, all these things are stolen,' he said.

An official working for Dr Anek Permwongsenee, deputy secretary-general to the Prime Minister's Office for administrative affairs, said Dr Anek's Buddha statue, computer, TV and other valuables were missing.

An official added that three vans had disappeared from the Secretariat to the Cabinet.

A female official was seen in tears after discovering her office room had been plundered.

'How could PAD say its demonstrators did not cause any damage?' another official complained.

PAD co-ordinator Suriyasai Katasila admitted PAD leaders could protect only the Thai Ku Fah and Santimaitree buildings, which remained intact.

'We couldn't keep a close watch on other buildings,' Mr Suriyasai said.

He said PAD leaders would be ready to fight against a lawsuit, if the government filed one, over damage to Government House.

'We have a fund established to handle legal cases,' Mr Suriyasai said.

Mr Kannikar Luangsanit, who ran a food stall inside Government House, reported a refrigerator and an oven missing from her shop.

'The protest also stripped me of opportunity to earn a living. I don't know whether I will get compensated,' she said.

Dhamma Army co-ordinator Sub-Lieutenant Samdin Lertbut, who also works with the PAD, said his group would ask PAD leaders to consider paying compensation for damages caused.

'But I don't think there will be compensation for lost opportunities because all people taking part in the protest have also made sacrifices,' he said.

Mr Loyleuan Bunnag, another deputy secretary-general to the Prime Minister, yesterday denied Mr Samdin's claim that the PAD had returned the Government House compound to the government.

'There was no hand-over. We have never handed the compound to anyone. We are back here because the PAD is already out,' Mr Loyleuan said.

He hoped state officials would be able to start work at Government House by Monday.

Policemen have been scouring the compound since Wednesday and have found hundreds of weapons.

Cleaners, meanwhile, are diligently tidying up the facilities. -- The Nation/ANN