Thai PM returns to office

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BANGKOK, June 24 (AFP): Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej returned Tuesday to his office for the first time since thousands of protesters surrounded the compound four days ago to demand his resignation.

The protesters from the so-called People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have set up camp outside Government House since Friday, when they pushed past police barricades to rally in the surrounding streets.

Some 2,100 metropolitan police remained deployed around the compound as Samak arrived for a cabinet meeting early Tuesday.

Dozens of monks from two of Thailand's main Buddhist sects came to greet him and offer blessings ahead of a censure debate in parliament set for the afternoon.

Samak expressed his thanks to the monks, but declined to answer questions from reporters as he entered his office.

In a statement, the monks urged the protesters to respect the results of the December election that brought Samak to power.