Thai PM: ‘I will not use my sword’

Thai PM Samak Sundaravej has vowed not to use force to suppress protesters who are calling for his government's resignation in Bangkok. Riot police, ordered into the government buildings the demonstraters are occupying on Tuesday, have now been pulled back. Mr Samak said: "I have a sword, but I have chosen not to use it."

The protesters, who initially numbered around 30,000, and seem to be well-organised with wealthy backing, accuse Mr Samak of being a puppet of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who is currently in the UK on the run from a Thai court.

The protests were instigated by a group calling itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD. It is thought the group, formed three years ago, may have some support from Thailand's armed forces.