The decision -- immediately derided by protesters occupying a government compound -- came hours after a defiant Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej went on national radio and vowed he would not step down. His combative speech intensified the deadlock with the People's Alliance for Democracy, whose supporters in their thousands have taken over the sprawling lawns of Samak's office compound since storming through the gates on Aug. 26.Describing the alliance as an antidemocratic group and their actions as a shameful embarrassment for the country, Samak said he will not bow to its demands. "I will not abandon the ship, and I will take responsibility for the crew on board," Samak said, peppering his speech with folksy language. "I am not resigning. I have to protect the democracy of this country."
Samak said in a radio interview later that the referendum will ask the public if they agree with the alliance's campaign and if they believe the government should resign. But first, a law would have to be passed by the Senate, as there is no provision for holding a referendum under the present statutes. Once the law is passed, it would take about a month to hold the vote, he said. "While waiting for the result of referendum, the protesters can demonstrate. I can wait," he said. The announcement was met with skepticism from the anti-government protesters camped in the compound of Samak's office, Government House.
"This is just a political game the government is trying to play," said Pichet Pattanachote, a former vice president of the Senate who has joined the protesters' alliance. Analysts also cast doubt, saying a referendum would be expensive and unlikely to have credibility.
"A referendum is normally used to test public approval on whether to go to war or pass an important law. It would not be effective as a tool to solve a complicated political crisis with many conditions and layers," said Panithan Wattanayagorn, a political science professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
Bloody rioting between supporters of Samak and the alliance left one person dead and dozens injured early Tuesday, the only violence since the deadlock began. Samak imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok following the violence, but the military has not removed the demonstrators from Government House. The protesters are living under makeshift tents, and organizers have set up a high stage from which leaders deliver regular speeches between music concerts that keep the protesters entertained.
The alliance has already helped force one prime minister from power -- staging demonstrations in 2006 that paved the way for the bloodless military coup that removed Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, recently fled to Britain to escape corruption charges. The protesters say Samak is Thaksin's stooge and is running the government for him by proxy. They accuse Samak's government of corruption and making unconstitutional decisions.
