Thailand’s PM prays as country grinds to a halt

THAILAND’S prime minister attended a Buddhist ritual yesterday, seemingly indifferent to a deepening political crisis that has paralysed his government, shut down two main airports and stranded 300,000 foreigners.

The crisis is draining millions of dollars from the country’s economy even as prime minister Somchai Wongsawat appears powerless to remove anti-government protesters who have occupied the airports for the past week. He has refused to send in police to evict them for fear of bloodshed, instead making weak pleas for the protesters to go home.

The protesters have vowed to stay until Somchai steps down, but he has refused.