BANGKOK - THAILAND'S powerful army chief on Wednesday called an urgent meeting of military and business top brass as anti-government protesters shut down the main airport.
Army head General Anupong Paojinda will chair the meeting at army headquarters in Bangkok, said spokesman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong.
'It will be attended by the chairmen of the Thai Bankers' Association and tourism officials as well as the navy and air force commanders and the central regional army commander,' he said.
The meeting takes place while Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is still en route back from the Apec summit in Peru. He is due to land later on Wednesday, and will be greeted by turmoil as protesters up their campaign to topple him.
Thousands of them besieged Bangkok's international airport late on Tuesday, forcing it to shut down and leaving passengers stranded. Demonstrators have also occupied Somchai's temporary offices at a different airport.
As the protests escalated on Tuesday, Anupong promised that the army would not stage a coup, despite repeated pleas by protesters.
The People's Alliance for Democracy is trying to topple Mr Somchai, accusing his government of acting as a puppet of ousted and exiled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - Mr Somchai's brother-in-law.
The army top brass has distanced itself from the PAD, but Anupong has implied Somchai should resign to take responsibility for clashes between police and protesters last month which left two people dead and nearly 500 injured. -- AFP
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