Thai protesters reject talks as strike fails to bite

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BANGKOK, Sept 3 (AFP) Thousands of protesters besieging Thailand's seat of government rejected talks with the military Wednesday, insisting they would only negotiate after Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej steps down.brThere appeared little sign of an imminent end to the crisis as a state of emergency in Bangkok entered a second day following the worst unrest seen on the capital's streets in 16 years.brBut a strike by unions representing 200,000 employees at state enterprises, who had threatened to cripple government agencies by cutting water and power supplies, won few followers with services running as usual.brSome workers who began disrupting train services last week returned to the job Wednesday, the State Railway of Thailand said, adding that operations had had actually improved, with trains suspended only in southern provinces.brFlag carrier Thai Airways reported no disruptions and transport authorities in Bangkok said public buses were running as usual.brThousands of activists stormed Samak official compound 10 days ago but the tensions turned deadly Monday night when street fights erupted with supporters of the premier, leaving one dead and 44 injured.brThe violence prompted Samak to invoke a state of emergency early Tuesday, essentially giving control of the capital to the military. Political gatherings are banned and the army is empowered to suspend civil liberties.brBut while the protesters have defied the ban on assembling, the army chief General Anupong Paojinda, said he would use talks rather than violence to end the siege.brThe military has made no move to evict activists squatting in the Government House compound, and one of the key protest leaders said they would only open negotiations if Samak resigns.brOur stand is always firm -- that Mr Samak has to go. If Mr Samak doesn't go we will not talk to anybody, said media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, who has spearheaded the movement.brSamak was very upset and he has tried every possible way to make us yield, he added.brThere are no guns among us. There might be golf clubs and sticks which we use to defend ourselves but absolutely no guns.brNo soldiers were seen around the protest site early Wednesday, where 5,000 activists had again slept on the Government House lawn, now little more than a smelly mass of mud, after days of occupation with little sanitation.