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| Troubled Thai PM 'will not quit' | Troubled Thai PM 'will not quit' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thailand's beleaguered Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, has said he will not resign despite mounting pressure. | Thailand's beleaguered Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, has said he will not resign despite mounting pressure. |
| In a radio address to the nation, he said he would not bow to the demands of anti-government protesters. | In a radio address to the nation, he said he would not bow to the demands of anti-government protesters. |
| On Tuesday Mr Samak imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok after his supporters and opponents clashed in the capital, leaving one person dead. | On Tuesday Mr Samak imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok after his supporters and opponents clashed in the capital, leaving one person dead. |
| Protesters say the government is a front for Thaksin Shinawatra - the former prime minister, now in exile. | Protesters say the government is a front for Thaksin Shinawatra - the former prime minister, now in exile. |
| "I am not resigning," Mr Samak said, adding that he had a popular mandate to govern. | |
| "These people want the government to quit, but how could I do that if the entire world is watching? It would be embarrassing to do so," he said. | "These people want the government to quit, but how could I do that if the entire world is watching? It would be embarrassing to do so," he said. |
| He would not dissolve parliament, he said, adding that he would stay "to preserve democracy and to protect the monarchy". | He would not dissolve parliament, he said, adding that he would stay "to preserve democracy and to protect the monarchy". |
| Mr Samak's comments came shortly after the Thai foreign minister, Tej Bunnag, who was a close adviser to the king, had offered his resignation. | |
| Divided society | |
| Thousands of members of the opposition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) remain in official compounds in Bangkok, which they seized more than a week ago. BANGKOK PROTESTS 26 Aug: Protesters occupy government buildings, demand the government step down27 Aug: Authorities issue arrest warrants for nine protest leaders28 Aug: PM Samak promises no use of force against the protesters29 Aug: Police try to evict protesters but pull back; crowds blockade two regional airports30 Aug: PM Samak rules out resignation, following a meeting with Thailand's king31 Aug: Parliament meets for a special session on the protests1 Sep: A late-night clash between pro- and anti-government groups leaves one person dead2 Sep: PM Samak declares a state of emergency | |
| "The PAD will not hold talks with the government or anyone," one of the PAD leaders, Somsak Kosaisuk, said earlier. "The PAD will talk only after Samak has resigned." | "The PAD will not hold talks with the government or anyone," one of the PAD leaders, Somsak Kosaisuk, said earlier. "The PAD will talk only after Samak has resigned." |
| The PAD has a passionate following in various parts of the country, especially Bangkok, and some powerful backers among the elite. | The PAD has a passionate following in various parts of the country, especially Bangkok, and some powerful backers among the elite. |
| But it has little support in most of rural Thailand, which voted strongly for Mr Samak, and Mr Thaksin before him. Thai society remains deeply divided over the issue. | But it has little support in most of rural Thailand, which voted strongly for Mr Samak, and Mr Thaksin before him. Thai society remains deeply divided over the issue. |
| As the standoff has developed, some unions have begun supporting the protesters. | |
| However, a strike called by an umbrella group of 43 unions on Wednesday appeared to have failed. | |
| This was good news for the government, reports the BBC's Jonathan Head from Bangkok. | |
| But the prime minister's attempt to contain the PAD protests with a state of emergency has also fallen flat. | |
| The army has simply refused to exercise the extra powers he gave them, arguing that the conflict is a political one that cannot be solved by military intervention. |