Thai PM turns to parliament to defuse protests

BANGKOK, Aug 31 (AFP) Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej turned to parliament Sunday to try and defuse protests that have blockaded his offices and briefly shut airports, but insisted he would stay in power.brMore than 1,000 government supporters marched on Thailand's parliament Sunday as lawmakers began a special debate on street protests threatening to topple Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.brThe group avoided areas of Bangkok where anti-government protesters are massed, including thousands who have occupied Samak's official compound since Tuesday and are vowing to stay until the prime minister quits.brSamak, who has said he would never bow to the demands of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), warned in his weekly radio address that his patience was wearing out.brI am not afraid, but I am concerned about chaos in the nation, he said. We cannot let the seizure of Government House continue indefinitely without taking action.brSamak is still looking for a peaceful way out of the crisis that began Tuesday when thousands of anti-government protesters rampaged through Bangkok's historic district and invaded his offices, demanding his immediate resignation.brAfter police briefly clashed with rowdy demonstrators last week and protests spread outside the capital, the premier called the emergency parliament session, but he has so far ruled out declaring a state of emergency.brWe cannot let the situation in the country go on like this, Samak said in his regular Sunday television address.