Thailand's prime minister on Sunday admitted his government has failed to stop growing anti-government protests and urged Parliament to help resolve the spiraling political crisis.
Samak mixed defiance with uncharacteristic deference during his weekly television programme just hours ahead of an emergency parliamentary session he called in hopes of finding a political solution to what he described as Thailand's "deteriorating situation."
Thousands of protesters remained camped out at Bangkok's Government House, the prime minister's official compound, for a sixth day on Sunday to demand an end to Samak's seven-month tenure. The crowd size has ranged from 2,000 to about 30,000.
"I will not bow. I will not step down and I will not resign - despite the pressure mounting on my government," said Samak, reiterating his refusal to be forced out. The prime minister received key backing from his six-party ruling coalition yesterday, which said it would not dissolve parliament.
Nonetheless, Samak conceded that his government and the courts, which have tried and failed to evict protesters from his official headquarters, needed a helping hand from Parliament.
"Since the government cannot resolve the problem - even the courts cannot resolve the problem - the joint session of Parliament is the best choice for finding a solution," Samak said.
The protest organisers, the People's Alliance for Democracy, accuse Samak's government of corruption and of serving as a proxy for ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in a 2006 coup.
{{/usCountry}}The protest organisers, the People's Alliance for Democracy, accuse Samak's government of corruption and of serving as a proxy for ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in a 2006 coup.
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