Strike fizzles as Thai protests continue
A strike meant to pile pressure on Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej fell flat yesterday, but thousands of protesters besieging his offices refused to back down on their demand for him to quit.
With Bangkok under a state of emergency for a second day, Thailand's political stalemate showed no sign of easing even as the strike threatened by utility workers flopped.
Meanwhile Thailand's foreign minister handed in his resignation yesterday. An aide to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who would not be named, told AFP that Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag submitted his resignation citing his wife's ill health, but it has yet to be accepted by the prime minister.
Unions representing 200,000 employees at state enterprises had threatened to make crippling cuts to water and power supplies nationwide. But few workers heeded their call, with services running as usual.
Some workers who began disrupting train services last week returned to the job yesterday, the State Railway of Thailand said, adding that operations had actually improved, with trains suspended only in southern provinces.
Flag carrier Thai Airways reported no disruptions and transport authorities in Bangkok said public buses were running as usual.
But the thousands of activists who stormed Samak's official compound 10 days ago refused to budge, raising fears of new violence after one man was killed and 44 injured in clashes between Samak's opponents and supporters late Monday.
The violence prompted Samak to invoke a state of emergency early Tuesday, essentially giving control of the capital to the military.
Political gatherings are banned and the army is empowered to suspend civil liberties.
But while the protesters have defied the ban on assembling, the army chief, General Anupong Paojinda, said he would use talks rather than violence to end the siege.
The military has made no move to evict activists squatting in the Government House compound, and one of the key protest leaders said they would only open negotiations if Samak resigns.
"Our stand is always firm -- that Mr Samak has to go. If Mr Samak doesn't go we will not talk to anybody," said media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, who has spearheaded the movement.
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