Thailand’s ruling party has endorsed the brother-in-law of deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra as its nominee to become the next prime minister.

THAILAND’S acting prime minister has lifted a state of emergency in Bangkok, urging all sides in a political standoff to find a peaceful compromise and restore the country’s image as “The Land of Smiles”.

SAMAK SUNDARAVEJ will not be a candidate when the Thai parliament votes next week for a new premier, an aide said yesterday, but street campaigners vowed to keep pressure on the government he led for seven months.

Thailand’s ruling party says it has decided not to renominate ousted prime minister Samak Sundaravej for the post.

Thailand’s ousted leader Samak Sundaravej today accepted the endorsement of the country’s ruling party to return as prime minister.

Thailand’s ruling party has re-nominated ousted leader Samak Sundaravej for the prime minister’s post despite objections from its coalition partners.

Thailand’s army chief urged the caretaker government today to lift a state of emergency and backed a proposal to form a government of national unity that would include all the country’s parties.

Thailand’s prime minister was forced to resign today along with his Cabinet after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had broken a conflict-of-interest law by hosting TV cooking shows while in office.

Thailand’s prime minister awaited a Constitutional Court verdict today on whether he will be forced out of office for hosting TV cooking shows – yet another twist in a deepening national political crisis.

Thailand’s beleaguered prime minister defended himself today against accusations that he broke the law by hosting a television cooking show while in office, an offence that could force him to resign.

Thai police today warned students to avoid street protests after a gunman shot and wounded two students demonstrating against the country’s prime minister, raising new fears of violence in the country’s tense political crisis.

Thailand’s prime minister refused again to give in to protesters determined to oust him, but offered an unconventional compromise – a referendum on his fate.

Thailand’s prime minister today refused to cede to protesters determined to oust him, but offered a referendum on his fate aimed at ending the political crisis that has raised fears of economic chaos.

Embattled prime minister Samak Sundaravej called the political crisis in Thailand a shameful embarrassment for the country today, but vowed not to resign or dissolve parliament, saying it was his job to protect democracy.

The political crisis gripping Thailand could damage vital tourism trade, experts said today.

Thailand was plunged further into political crisis today when the Election Commission ruled that the governing People’s Power Party committed electoral fraud and should be dissolved.

THAILAND’S parliament has convened an emergency session at the request of the country’s prime minister, who acknowledged that his administration cannot control spiralling anti-government protests.

Thailand’s prime minister called an emergency session of parliament today after vowing not to resign as pressure mounted with anti-government protesters occupying his headquarters for a sixth day.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej vowed today that he will not resign despite growing pressure for him to step down as anti-government protesters occupied his headquarters for a fifth day.

THAI police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of several thousand anti-government protesters who were besieging city police headquarters.

Thousands of demonstrators occupying the Thai prime minister’s office compound beat back an effort by riot police to remove them today and vowed to stay until the government resigns.

THOUSANDS of Thai protesters stormed a state- run TV station and the seat of government yesterday, in what Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said was an effort to provoke another coup.

Thailand's prime minister Samak Sundaravej said today he had no plans to ask Britain for the extradition of fugitive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra or to revoke his diplomatic passport.

US president George Bush told China bluntly today that America was strongly opposed to the way the communist government repressed its people.

Corruption charges in a third case against former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra were accepted by a court today.

Thousands of people marched to Thailand’s national police headquarters today to demand legal cases against ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are no longer delayed.

Thailand’s prime minister Samak Sundaravej today refused to bow to demands of anti-government protesters who vowed to besiege his office until he resigned.

About 1,000 protesters, demanding the resignation of the prime minister, have broken through a police cordon around Thailand’s seat of government which the demonstrators vow to peacefully besiege.

International aid agencies mustered everything from anti-snake venom kits to plastic roofing today, warning that a second wave of deaths would follow the Burma cyclone disaster unless the military regime let in more aid quickly.

A second storm was heading towards Burma’s devastated Irrawaddy delta region tonight.

Thailand’s deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said today he will seek court permission for a trip to England, his first journey abroad since returning home to face criminal charges.

Deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today confirmed he will return to Thailand on tomorrow but vowed to stay out of politics forever.

Thailand's king officially endorsed an ally of ousted premier and Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister today.

Loyalists of deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra captured 233 of 480 seats in the lower house of parliament to win Sunday's national election, it was announced today.

Thailand’s rival political parties began battling today to cobble together a coalition government after parliamentary elections.

Allies of deposed Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declared victory in country’s first post-coup election today, but failed to secure an absolute majority in the parliament according to unofficial results from the Election Commission.

A party set up by people loyal to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is on course to win Thailand’s election today.

Official campaigning for Thailand's first general elections since last year's military coup began today as 18 parties registered candidates.