Both government and protesters mourned their dead after savage street fighting killed 21 people in Thailand’s capital, but neither side appeared ready to compromise to end a five-year political stalemate that threatens more violence.

Anti-government protesters dug into their encampments around Bangkok and rejected talk of negotiations today after a month-long stand-off escalated into clashes that killed 20 people in Thailand’s worst political violence in nearly two decades.

Thousands of defiant anti-government demonstrators have fanned out to other parts of Thailand's capital today, ignoring police orders to end their occupation of Bangkok's paralysed commercial district.

Thousands of anti-government demonstrators, facing threats of arrest, announced today they would end their occupation of the Thai capital’s commercial centre but would continue their protest in another location in the city.

Thousands of anti-government protesters occupied the commercial heart of Thailand’s capital today, forcing the closure of major shopping malls.

Thousands of anti-government protesters launched their fourth weekend march in the streets of the Thai capital today in a bid to force the prime minister to dissolve parliament and call new elections.

Tens of thousands of protesters riding motorcycles and crammed into trucks and cars rolled through the streets of the Thai capital today to rally residents to their “class war” against the government.

Protesters in Thailand today vowed to stage a weekend of anti-government activities aimed at forcing new elections.

Leaders of tens of thousands of protesters who swarmed into Bangkok from Thailand's rural areas threatened mass street demonstrations if the government did not respond to their demand for a dissolution of parliament within 24 hours.

THAI prime minister Somchai Wongsawat last night rejected his army chief’s call to quit in the face of anti- government protests that threaten to spiral out of control across the country.