The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Bangkok

Thailand's embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej vowed not to quit Saturday, defying thousands of protesters who have besieged the capital demanding that he resign from office. At least 25,000 demonstrators from the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) surrounded government offices Friday and about a fifth of them remained a day later.

But Samak, whom the PAD accuse of acting as a proxy for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, pledged to answer his critics during his weekly television address on Sunday.

"Wait and listen to me tomorrow," Samak told reporters during a visit to a police hospital, adding that he expected to return to work at his office where protesters have assembled to demand that he quit.

"Prime Minister Samak will speak on everything Sunday in his "Samak Talks"," Nutthawut Saikua, deputy government spokesman told AFP.