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Thai leaders face huge protests Thai protesters 'want new coup'
(about 2 hours later)
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Bangkok to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet. Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has accused protesters in Bangkok of trying to foment another coup.
They occupied the offices of the state broadcaster NBT and surrounded the main government offices. "They want bloodshed in the country," he told journalists.
At one point they forced their way into Mr Samak's offices - prompting him to take shelter in an army base. In a day of stormy protests, supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) invaded government buildings and a state-run television station.
The protesters say Mr Samak is merely a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now in self-imposed exile. Organisers of the demonstration have ignored a deadline to leave, vowing to keep supporters on the streets until the government falls.
Mr Samak has appeared on television promising decisive action, saying: "We will do everything to bring the situation back to normal." The protesters accuse Mr Samak of running the country on behalf of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now in self-imposed exile amid corruption charges.
But he added that it was not yet time to call on the military to restore order. This is just the latest of a series of shows of force staged by the PAD over recent months.
Buildings invaded
Tuesday's protests started before dawn, as a group of masked PAD supporters stormed the main studios of the government-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT).
Outside Bangkok, thousands of protesters blocked key roads into the city.
Meanwhile, as the numbers protesting in Bangkok swelled to about 30,000, participants invaded other sites including parts of at least three government ministries.
Click here to see a map of key protest areas
They also gained entry to the grounds of Government House - prompting the prime minister to move his weekly cabinet meeting to military headquarters elsewhere in the capital.
Protesters - many clad in yellow as a mark of loyalty to Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej - are now said to have concentrated in the grounds of Government House.
"We are now in Government House and won't move until the government resigns," said PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul.
Thousands of police officers have been deployed around the protests.
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Anti-government protesters storm the state TV station and surround government officesAnti-government protesters storm the state TV station and surround government offices
'Long holiday for government' 'I will stay'
Organisers of the protest - a loose grouping called the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - have been able to galvanise thousands of supporters to their cause. Protesters ignored a police deadline of 1800 local time (1100GMT) to clear the area.
Tuesday's rally was just one of many street demonstrations they have held so far this year. But the government says it will not use violence against them - saying that instead it would seek a court order to arrest PAD leaders.
name="goback"> class="bodl" href="#map">Click here to see a map of key protest areas The police and government say some 85 people have already been arrested. Thai TV has shown knives and a handgun purportedly seized from protesters.
"We are now controlling most of the key government offices to prevent them from coming to work," said Sondhi Limthongkul, a leading figure in PAD, according to AP news agency. Mr Samak, who was elected last December, accused the protesters of trying to provoke the military to stage a coup.
"Today, we declare a long, long holiday for the government." "I will not resign, I will stay to protect this country," he said.
Protesters stormed the offices of the state broadcaster NBT, forcing it off the air. Police arrested several dozen protesters, but then a second wave broke through police lines to reach the station. He said police surround the protesters, allowing people to leave but not allowing people or supplies in.
Live television also showed about 100 protesters sitting on the lawn of the prime minister's official compound, Reuters news agency said. "I ask all the protesters who have been blockading or occupying government offices that you still have a chance to withdraw and go back to your homes," he said.
Meanwhile, in a TV interview, army chief Anupong Paochinda insisted there would be no coup attempt.
Thailand's stock market fell up to 2.5% amid the instability.
Central roleCentral role
This is a mass protest movement with a difference, according to the BBC correspondent in Bangkok, Jonathan Head.This is a mass protest movement with a difference, according to the BBC correspondent in Bangkok, Jonathan Head.
Despite the name, the People's Alliance for Democracy is actually campaigning for an end to democracy, arguing that in Thailand Western-style elections have only led to corrupt and ineffective governments. Despite the name, the People's Alliance for Democracy is actually campaigning for an end to democracy, our correspondent says.
Instead, it wants a largely appointed parliament, and a legalised role for the military as a kind of referee in Thai politics, our correspondent adds. It wants a largely appointed parliament, and a legalised role for the military as a kind of referee in Thai politics, he adds.
The PAD has already played a central role in Thai politics, beginning three years ago as a movement to bring down Thaksin Shinawatra, then the most powerful elected leader Thailand had ever known.The PAD has already played a central role in Thai politics, beginning three years ago as a movement to bring down Thaksin Shinawatra, then the most powerful elected leader Thailand had ever known.
Its protests set the stage for the coup that ousted him in 2006, and probably helped ensure the legal cases against him went ahead this year, resulting in Mr Thaksin and his wife going back into exile.Its protests set the stage for the coup that ousted him in 2006, and probably helped ensure the legal cases against him went ahead this year, resulting in Mr Thaksin and his wife going back into exile.
Mr Samak is still defiant. His government has a clear majority in parliament, and he insists he retains a democratic mandate from last December's election.Mr Samak is still defiant. His government has a clear majority in parliament, and he insists he retains a democratic mandate from last December's election.
But he seems unable to shake off this determined and apparently well-funded opposition movement, our correspondent adds.But he seems unable to shake off this determined and apparently well-funded opposition movement, our correspondent adds.
He has also been unable to persuade the security forces to control the protests, raising suspicions that the PAD must have some powerful backers inside the armed forces or among the royalist elite.He has also been unable to persuade the security forces to control the protests, raising suspicions that the PAD must have some powerful backers inside the armed forces or among the royalist elite.
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