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BANGKOK: Thailand's new Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was forced to move his inaugural policy speech away from parliament Tuesday after riot police failed to clear protesters besieging the building.
The British-born leader, who was elected in a parliamentary vote about two weeks ago, instead addressed lawmakers at the foreign ministry as supporters of exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra showed no sign of budging.
Abhisit said he wanted to heal Thailand's economic, social and political wounds after months of crippling protests against the previous pro-Thaksin government, including a damaging blockade of Bangkok's airports.
"The urgent measures in the first year are restoring confidence and stimulating the economy," the 44-year-old Abhisit said in his speech, which was shown live on national television.
Despite repeated efforts by hundreds of riot police armed with shields to push open the gates and create a path for MPs to enter parliament, more than 2,000 red-shirted protesters calling for new elections refused to back down.
Declaring their continued support for Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, they say Abhisit's government is not legitimate as he came to power after the Thaksin-linked former ruling party was dissolved by a court this month.
The election of the Oxford-educated Abhisit ended six months of increasingly disruptive protests by anti-Thaksin group the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which peaked when they seized and shuttered Bangkok's two airports.
The yellow-clad PAD said the ruling People Power Party (PPP) was simply a puppet for twice-elected Thaksin, who lives abroad to avoid being jailed on a corruption conviction.
The week-long closure of the airports in November and early December caused massive economic damage and hurt the country's vital tourism industry.
Under the constitution, a new prime minister must give a speech outlining policy before his government can start work, and Abhisit said he would try to win back tourists put off by the airport chaos, which drew worldwide attention.
"The government will restore the confidence of foreign tourists and speed measures to stimulate tourism and investment," he said, as well as promising stimulus measures for exports, agriculture and industry.
In a debate with senators, Abhisit said he would "rely on the judicial process for national reconciliation" - a reference to prosecutions of those involved in the airport protests and other unrest.
Abhisit's own foreign minister played a leading role in the airport blockade, further angering Thaksin supporters and causing concern in diplomatic circles.
Thailand remains deeply divided between supporters of Thaksin and elements of the old power cliques in the military, palace and bureaucracy who felt threatened by his immense popularity with the rural poor.
Supporters of Thaksin said the dissolution of the PPP on December 2 was a "disguised coup" and want parliament dissolved. Elections are not due until 2011.
The protesters began gathering Sunday and about 9,000 of them sealed off parliament on Monday, forcing repeated delays of Abhisit's policy statement.
Police said the numbers had dwindled to about 2,000 by Tuesday morning.
Authorities are keen to prevent a repeat of clashes outside parliament on October 7, when two people were killed and nearly 500 injured as the PAD tried to prevent then-premier Somchai Wongsawat from giving his first policy speech.
Abhisit, who is Thailand's third premier in four months, rose to the position with the help of defectors from the PPP and coalition parties previously allied with it.
- AFP/yb
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