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Bangkok: Thailand's embattled prime minister on Monday dismissed calls for his resignation, saying that stepping down would not resolve the country's deepening political crisis.
Anti-government protesters have demanded that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resign to take responsibility for violent clashes last Tuesday between protesters and riot police that killed three people and wounded nearly 500 protesters. It was the worst political violence in Thailand in over a decade.
"Many groups in society are calling for me to resign or dissolve the Parliament," the Prime Minister said in a nationally televised address.
"I am not attached to my position," he said. "However, I am not confident that is the right solution."
The clashes turned violent after police fired tear gas to disperse protesters who were trying to block Parliament to keep Mr Somchai from delivering his first policy statement to politicians. Mr Somchai was sworn in on September 25.
The anti-government protesters, led by a group that calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, have occupied the prime minister's office grounds since August 26.
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