Thai prime minister flees raucous protesters

Thailand's prime minister was forced to flee one of his own government ministries Wednesday as protesters demanding his resignation taunted him, tossing sandals and plastic bottles at his entourage. Security officials hustled Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat though a mob of 100-200 demonstrators a day after a Thai court convicted the country's former leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, of violating a conflict of interest law when he was in office from 2001-2006. Ousted by a 2006 military coup, Thaksin is reviled by protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy, who claim his administration was characterized by massive corruption and abuse of power. The protesters regard Somchai, who is Thaksin's brother-in-law, as a mere puppet, and accuse him of trying to amend the constitution to help clear Thaksin, who fled to self-imposed exile in Britain before the court's decision. Wednesday's confrontation started on the grounds of the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, outside the headquarters of the state-owned telecom operator. Somchai's motorcade detoured into an underground parking lot to avoid the crowd calling him a "murderer," referring to violence unleashed by a police crackdown on demonstrators on Oct. 7 which resulted in the death of two protesters. Wednesday's demonstrators swarmed around Somchai in the parking lot, waving "clappers," plastic noisemakers shaped like oversized hands that have become a hallmark of their movement. Many of the protesters appeared to work for the state phone company. The employees of many state enterprises dislike Thaksin for his attempts at privatization. After holding a meeting inside the building, Somchai–smiling tensely–was muscled by security personnel past an angry crowd and into a waiting vehicle, as protesters tossed rubber sandals, empty water bottles and clappers toward him. Throwing shoes is particularly insulting in Thai culture, which considers feet the dirtiest part of the body. Somchai, who took office last month, has been under growing pressure to resign to ease Thailand's deepening political crisis. He repeatedly rejected such calls, while leaving open the possibility he could change his mind in the future. "Nobody stays in office forever," he said in response to a reporter's question. "I am considering the pros and cons of the situation if I quit." Thaksin was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison, but many Thais doubt he will ever serve time behind bars. The protest alliance is making his extradition from Britain one of its main demands. Thai prosecutors said Tuesday they "will speed up" their effort to extradite Thaksin, which has not yet been formally requested. Thaksin told The Associated Press Tuesday he was confident he would be able to remain in Britain. "I think I can stay here because this is (a) very mature democratic country," Thaksin said. "There is no way I will be extradited because the (Thai) court is a political court."