Thailand Government Rejects Army Call to Dissolve Parliament

by Rob Walker | November 26, 2008 at 09:50 am

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One person was shot by gangs today as protests in Thailand continued. Thousands of passengers were grounded when protesters stormed the international airport.

The government rejected calls from the country's army chief to dissolve parliament and call a new election.

The Thai government today rejected calls from the country's powerful army chief to dissolve parliament and call a new election because of escalating anti-government protests.

The crisis deepened as a pro-government gang shot dead an opposition protester in the northern province of Chiang Mai.

The embattled prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, was due to address the nation on television but this was cancelled at the last minute.

NowPublic member Christina 123 posted about the airport being stormed late last night:

ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTORS have stormed the International Airport in Bangkok. Flights have been suspended as tens of thousand members of the People's Alliance for Democracy PAD laid seige. They are protesting against the previous deposed PM Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat being installed in his place in a thin facsimile of democracy.

You can find our ongoing coverage at the Thailand channel, and read the story by NowPublic staffer Sanjay Jha:

Update 12:45pm EST

Hundreds of protesters stormed Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International airport Tuesday night, and shots were fired between rival groups as riot police attempted to quell the unrest.