/ 27 November 2008

Pressure mounts on Thai army to halt unrest

Pressure built on Thailand's military to intervene in a political crisis threatening to descend into widespread civil unrest on Thursday.

Pressure built on Thailand’s military to intervene in a political crisis threatening to descend into widespread civil unrest on Thursday after Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat rejected calls to quit.

A blockade by anti-government protesters at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, a major Asian air hub where all flights were cancelled, entered its third day, stranding thousands of tourists in the Thai capital.

Members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) also laid siege to the old Don Muang Airport, shutting a big domestic hub and effectively severing air links to the city of eight million people.

”We appreciate this has affected private business, but the cause of the problem is this government,” PAD leader Somsak Kosaisuk told reporters at Don Muang airport.

”We know this government is nearing its end,” said Somsak, whose group defied a Wednesday night court ruling ordering it to cease the airport protests.

A rival pro-government group has threatened to hit the streets against the PAD, and there were reports of gunfire during the night near Government House, the prime minister’s compound occupied by the PAD since August, but no injuries.

Addressing the nation on Wednesday night, Somchai said his government was democratically elected and would continue to work for the ”good of the country” despite PAD claims it is the puppet of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Somchai, Thaksin’s brother-in-law, is due to hold a Cabinet meeting in the northern city of Chiang Mai on Thursday, at which he will consider unspecified ”measures” against the PAD.

Some Thai media reports said Somchai may declare a state of emergency, although a similar move by the government failed in September when the army refused to move against the PAD. — Reuters