Thai PM says he will not resign

BANGKOK, June 22 (UPI) -- The prime minister of Thailand accused the news media Sunday of paying too much attention to protesters demanding his resignation.

On his weekly TV program, Samak Sundaravej said that he supports a two-day debate in the Senate to give the opposition a chance to state their disagreements with the government, the Bangkok Post reported. He said the media should give less coverage to the leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy.

"It annoys me to see the way the media makes these five people equivalent to the prime minister," Samak said.

On Saturday, Samak said he would not give in to demands for his resignation. PAD leaders threatened to keep Government House under siege until he does.

Suriyasai Katasila, a leader of the PAD, said that Samak is head of a "Thaksin puppet government," referring to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup. Samak, on his TV show, "Talking in Samak Style," agreed that the demonstrators' problem is with Thaksin and suggested that they recognize that the former prime minister is now on trial.