Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej vowed Saturday not to resign despite growing pressure for him to step down as anti-government protesters occupied his headquarters for a fifth day and disrupted rail and air service in some of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
Samak's refusal to bow to protesters came ahead of an evening meeting with King Bhumibol Adulyadej at his seaside palace in Hua Hin, south of Bangkok. Bhumibol is a constitutional monarch with no formal political role but has repeatedly brought calm in times of turbulence during his six decades on the throne.
"I, the prime minister, have come to office in the appropriate way and I won't resign," Samak said during a televised ceremony for the royal family. In an apparent effort to end speculation that the king would seek his resignation, Samak said he had requested the meeting to brief the monarch on the political situation.
"I will not back down. I will rule this country and will lead it through all of the problems," said Samak, noting that his party soundly won December elections restoring democracy after a 2006 military coup. He also defended himself against critics who say he should not have let protesters overrun the government's seat of power.
"I have been very patient and have refrained from using force," he said. "Many have criticized me for being too soft, but if the government (cracked down) we would be criticized for using excessive force."
Samak's refusal to bow to protesters came ahead of an evening meeting with King Bhumibol Adulyadej at his seaside palace in Hua Hin, south of Bangkok. Bhumibol is a constitutional monarch with no formal political role but has repeatedly brought calm in times of turbulence during his six decades on the throne.
"I, the prime minister, have come to office in the appropriate way and I won't resign," Samak said during a televised ceremony for the royal family. In an apparent effort to end speculation that the king would seek his resignation, Samak said he had requested the meeting to brief the monarch on the political situation.
"I will not back down. I will rule this country and will lead it through all of the problems," said Samak, noting that his party soundly won December elections restoring democracy after a 2006 military coup. He also defended himself against critics who say he should not have let protesters overrun the government's seat of power.
"I have been very patient and have refrained from using force," he said. "Many have criticized me for being too soft, but if the government (cracked down) we would be criticized for using excessive force."
