Pressure mounts on embattled Thai premier

Bangkok: Protesters demanding Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's resignation vowed on Monday to target the government's water supply and cause more disruption to travellers to force him from office after an emergency parliamentary debate failed to resolve Thailand's political crisis.

Samak cancelled an official three-day trip to Japan starting today, the Foreign Ministry said, as thousands of protesters remained camped out at the grounds of his official compound for a sixth day.

They have refused to budge until Samak steps down - an outcome he has repeatedly ruled out.

Samak called a special joint session of Parliament that lasted 11 hours and ended early yesterday without a solution.

"We are very disappointed that Parliament's special session ended with nothing new," said Somsak Kosaisuk, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, which is organising the protests. "We have no choice now but to put more pressure on the government."

Allies of the anti-government protesters from labour unions at utility companies have threatened to switch off water and electricity to certain state offices and were meeting Monday to plot their strategy.

Cutting off water

"The tap water at the national police headquarters and at provincial administration offices will be cut off starting Monday [yesterday]," said Somchai Srinewest, head of the union at Thailand's Waterworks Authority, ahead of the meeting.

Hundreds of employees from the State Railways of Thailand continued a strike that halted service yesterday on 93 train lines.