“Whatever Mr Pian is accused of, we still love him,” said one woman who used to have a small shop on Patong Beach before it was swept away by the army-backed beach clearance.
Another said, “He helped us a lot. He was always kind to us.” The crowd hopes to convince the police to release Pian on bail immediately, rather than have their hero suffer the indignity of incarceration in police cells.
Pian is expected to surrender this morning and his sons Preechawut and Patawee this afternoon. Preechawut announced on his Facebook page on Friday that he would surrender today.
While most of the crowd are Thai, there are at least two foreigners among them, including the owner of the now demolised Bikini Bar on the beach.
Police have deployed a dozen special force officers to ensure order when the men – the three most powerful of the 83 targeted in Thursday’s raids – turn themselves in.