Thai PM vows not to give in to protests

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thai premier Samak Sundaravej said Sunday he will not yield to protesters demanding he quit and will answer his critics in parliament, in a bid to quell the crisis threatening his government.

Samak, a combative self-styled 'man of the people,' comfortably won elections in December but is under attack both from the streets and in parliament, where he faces a no confidence vote this week.

Speaking in his weekly Sunday television address, Samak vowed to go to work on Monday despite protesters from the so-called People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) camping out at his office calling on him to step down.

"I will return to Government House on Monday.... I come from legitimate elections," he told the nation.

Up to 25,000 protesters led by...