Thai PM refuses to step down before elections

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced today that she would not step down from the caretaker premiership until a new cabinet has been formed.

"I have retreated so far and I don't know where to retreat further," she said, speaking at the Thai Army Club's weekly cabinet meeting in response to anti-government demonstrators who have called for her resignation and a complete restructuring of the government following weeks of protests in Bangkok.

Yesterday, the prime minister tried to appease protester demands by dissolving the parliament and announcing that new elections would be held by February 2.

Anti-government protests, led by the opposition Democrat Party, have been on-going for several weeks. Protesters are calling for the removal of the prime minister, whom they accuse of acting on behalf of her brother, ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Protests were mostly peaceful until a gun fight erupted between demonstrators and pro-government supporters on November 30.

[Bangkok Post] [UPI]