Bangkok airport protesters lose momentum as government regains nerve

The opposition protestors in Thailand from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have closed down Bangkok Airport want the elected Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to resign.

The PAD represents an alliance of businessmen and urban middle class interests oppose the government which is supported by the rural masses, and the PAD claims is fronting for ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The airport protestors seem to be losing their supporters as their action is hurting Thailand's vital tourism industry. The government seems to have recovered it confidence and yesterday the prime minister dismissed the police chief for failing to keep control.

Ever since 2006 when Thaksin was dismissed by the army, Thailand has been in confusion as the frustrated urban elite have sought a way to regain control, yet the power of the rural vote unleashed by Thaksin has not gone away and continues to allow the government to win elections.

Somchai refused to call a snap election as a way out of the impasse, pointing out he is the democratically elected leader of parliament. Thailand deserves a period of calm, and if the elections keep going the way of the government, the opposition have to be prepared to accept the result.