Rallies keep pressure on Thai PM

Sunday night's anti-Thaksin rally attracted 50,000 people

Protesters in Thailand are continuing to pressure Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign, saying they will rally every night until he steps down.

More than 10,000 people gathered on Monday night, at the same Bangkok venue as Sunday's larger-scale protest.

But Mr Thaksin remained defiant, saying on Tuesday he will "never, ever bow to mob rule".

He has called a snap election in April to try to regain authority, but the opposition is boycotting the poll.

Mr Thaksin suffered a further blow on Tuesday, when a large labour union announced plans to join the anti-Thaksin camp.

A spokesman for the Union of State Enterprises - which includes electrical and water utilities and rail workers - said staff who supported the protests would walk out of their jobs and join the protests.

But he said that essential services would not be interrupted.

A senior police officer also added his voice to those calling on Mr Thaksin to step down.

Lieutenant-General Ajiravid Subarnbhesaj, the national police force spokesman, said his views were personal, and did not represent the views of the police force.

Snap poll

In recent months there have been a series of rallies accusing Mr Thaksin of abuse of power. Sunday's anti-Thaksin rally attracted at least 50,000 people.

The demonstrators at the latest rally, on Monday, in Sanam Luang park, repeated their insistence to keep on meeting, varying the location of their gatherings to include the Thai stock exchange and other important venues.

Another major demonstration is planned for 14 March outside Government House, to coincide with Mr Thaksin's weekly Cabinet meeting.

"The protests are a test to see who can tolerate it longer. I am confident we will win," one of the main protest leaders, Chamlong Srimuang, told supporters.

The protests have gathered momentum in recent weeks after the prime minister's family sold its controlling stake in telecom giant Shin Corp, gaining a huge amount of money and triggering accusations of insider trading and tax dodges.

Amid the mounting anger, Mr Thaksin called a snap election for 2 April to try to regain authority.

But opposition parties have said they will boycott the poll.

Analysts say that the absence of a serious alternative to Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party seriously threatens the election's legitimacy.

Mr Thaksin told the media on Tuesday morning that he still hoped some other parties would take part in the poll.

According to the Thai news agency, he was due to meet Prapat Photisuthon, secretary-general of the Chart Thai Party, on Tuesday for talks on the issue.

Chart Thai was one of the three opposition parties to announce their decision to boycott the election last week - along with Mahachon and the main opposition Democrat Party.