BANGKOK, Nov. 26 -- Thailand's powerful military stepped into a battle Wednesday between the government and protesters occupying Bangkok's international airport, calling on the government to resign and the protesters to leave the buildings they have seized.
Both sides promptly rejected the appeal, intensifying a political crisis that threatens to ignite civil strife in the Southeast Asian nation.
On Tuesday night, protesters from the opposition People's Alliance for Democracy seized Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country's main international gateway, forcing it to close down and stranding thousands of passengers.
The action brought a long-running struggle between the opposition and the government to a fever pitch and prompted the military to intervene.
Thai Army chief Anupong Paochinda told a news conference Wednesday that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat "should dissolve parliament and call a snap election" as a way to end the crisis.
But Somchai, speaking on national television following his return from a summit meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Peru, said his government was democratically elected and would remain in office for the "good of the country." He declared, "My position is not important. But democratic values are."
Somchai said his cabinet would meet Thursday to discuss what to do about the protesters.
People's Alliance spokesman Suriyasai Katasila also rejected the army chief's proposal, telling reporters that the protesters would not leave the airport "if Somchai does not quit."
On a Web site used by the People's Alliance to post official announcements, Sonthi Limthongkul, a leader of the group, appeared to set up another hurdle to Anupong's plan. He said the opposition would countenance negotiations only after the government had left office and that a resignation on its own would not be sufficient.
The standoff raised fears that the military could stage another coup, but Anupong ruled out such a move in his news conference, saying it would not resolve the crisis. The military removed Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister two years ago.
Thitinan Pongsudirak, who teaches political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said the army's solution is the least damaging of the narrowing options available to the country.
"This option does not get us out of the cycle," he said. "It won't on its own solve the crisis, but it would buy us some time. It could act as a relief valve."
