Police in riot gear keep guard outside southern Thailand's Hat Yai airport September 3, 2008. Thai public sector trade unions called for strikes on Wednesday, a day after the embattled prime minister imposed emergency rule in the capital and ordered the army to end months of anti-government protests. (REUTERS/Surapan Boonthanom)Wed Sep 3, 2008
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai public sector trade unions called for strikes on Wednesday, a day after the embattled prime minister imposed emergency rule in the capital and ordered the army to end months of anti-government protests.
Thousands of opposition protesters continued their sit-in at Prime Minister Samak's Sundaravej's official compound, vowing to continue their campaign until he resigns.
But Bangkok was calm on Wednesday after clashes early on Tuesday between pro- and anti-government supporters left one man dead and 45 injured, leading Samak to turn to the army to control the unrest.
The army has said it will not use force to evict protesters.
Traffic was light in the city of 10 million people because of the threat of public transport being disrupted by strikes. Also, schools remained closed for a second day following the imposition of the emergency.
In what the Bangkok Post newspaper headlined a "first hint of compromise", Sondhi Limthongkul, one of the leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said the months-long crisis that has paralysed the government could not be resolved unless Samak left office.
"They must accept the four-point demand, and only if the prime minister is either Somchai Wongsawat or Surapong Suebwonglee," he told the newspaper, referring to Samak's education minister and finance minister respectively.
It was not immediately clear why the two men were acceptable to the opposition.
Sondhi said the government must promise not to amend the constitution; must suspend all large infrastructure projects; commit to political reform, and; accept a court decision on a temple located on land in Cambodia claimed by some in Thailand.
The Constitutional Court has ruled the government's backing of Cambodia's request to have the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple listed as a World Heritage site was unconstitutional.
Anti-government activists whipped up nationalist sentiment over the issue and in July the foreign minister resigned, while the two countries sent troops to the disputed border.
The PAD accuses Samak of being a proxy of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now living in exile in London after skipping bail on graft charges last month.
The PAD also paints itself as a guardian of King Bhumibol Adulyadej against a supposed Thaksin bid to turn Thailand into a republic, a charge denied by both Thaksin and the government.
The stock market has fallen 24 percent since the street protests began in May and the recent upsurge in violence has distracted the government at a time when investors feel it should be concentrating on slowing economic growth and high inflation.
Parliament is due to start a two-day debate on Wednesday on the national budget for the year from October. Some analysts have speculated the government could call a snap election after the budget is passed, since ministers will then have the funds for projects to support their campaign.
Thousands of opposition protesters continued their sit-in at Prime Minister Samak's Sundaravej's official compound, vowing to continue their campaign until he resigns.
But Bangkok was calm on Wednesday after clashes early on Tuesday between pro- and anti-government supporters left one man dead and 45 injured, leading Samak to turn to the army to control the unrest.
The army has said it will not use force to evict protesters.
Traffic was light in the city of 10 million people because of the threat of public transport being disrupted by strikes. Also, schools remained closed for a second day following the imposition of the emergency.
In what the Bangkok Post newspaper headlined a "first hint of compromise", Sondhi Limthongkul, one of the leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said the months-long crisis that has paralysed the government could not be resolved unless Samak left office.
"They must accept the four-point demand, and only if the prime minister is either Somchai Wongsawat or Surapong Suebwonglee," he told the newspaper, referring to Samak's education minister and finance minister respectively.
It was not immediately clear why the two men were acceptable to the opposition.
Sondhi said the government must promise not to amend the constitution; must suspend all large infrastructure projects; commit to political reform, and; accept a court decision on a temple located on land in Cambodia claimed by some in Thailand.
The Constitutional Court has ruled the government's backing of Cambodia's request to have the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple listed as a World Heritage site was unconstitutional.
Anti-government activists whipped up nationalist sentiment over the issue and in July the foreign minister resigned, while the two countries sent troops to the disputed border.
The PAD accuses Samak of being a proxy of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now living in exile in London after skipping bail on graft charges last month.
The PAD also paints itself as a guardian of King Bhumibol Adulyadej against a supposed Thaksin bid to turn Thailand into a republic, a charge denied by both Thaksin and the government.
The stock market has fallen 24 percent since the street protests began in May and the recent upsurge in violence has distracted the government at a time when investors feel it should be concentrating on slowing economic growth and high inflation.
Parliament is due to start a two-day debate on Wednesday on the national budget for the year from October. Some analysts have speculated the government could call a snap election after the budget is passed, since ministers will then have the funds for projects to support their campaign.
