BANGKOK: Thailand's main public sector unions threatened a nationwide strike next week if the government does not bow to the demands of protesters and quit, according to a statement.

A 190,000-strong umbrella group of unions also urged members to join a mass rally called by anti-government campaigners, who blamed the government for the death of a demonstrator in a grenade attack in Bangkok on Thursday.

The move deepens a standoff between the government and opponents who have occupied the prime minister's offices since August, accusing the administration of being a proxy for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The organisation leading the protests against the government, the People's Alliance for Democracy, has called for protesters to blockade parliament on Sunday, ahead of a joint sitting on Monday relating to foreign affairs matters.

"We will evict all government officials from every state enterprise and every union will mobilise their members to join the protest on November 24 (Monday) at 10:00 am (0300 GMT) onward," said a statement by the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation, the union grouping.

"If the government does not comply with the demands (of the unions and protesters to resign) or uses violence against the protesters, every one of us will strike nationwide," it said without specifying a date.

A similar attempt to block parliament on October 7 erupted into violence, with clashes between police and demonstrators leaving two people dead and more than 500 wounded.

In early September, the unions also called for a general strike to paralyse the country but there was little response, with only the state-run railways company going on strike for a week.

Officials said there are 250,000 workers at Thailand's 43 state enterprises – mainly utilities, transportation and communication – but of those only 190,000 are members of the confederation.

Thailand's political crisis started in 2006, leading to a military coup in September that year which toppled billionaire tycoon Thaksin, but has escalated this year with the PAD's efforts to remove Thaksin's allies from government.

Current Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is Thaksin's brother-in-law.

Thaksin, who is living in exile to avoid corruption charges, is set to make a telephone address to his supporters on December 13 which could further inflame the situation.


- AFP/so