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BANGKOK - THAI Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat began an urgent cabinet meeting in the northern city of Chiang Mai on Thursday to discuss the growing political crisis, an official said.
The meeting held at the city's provincial hall was guarded by hundreds of police while pro-government supporters dressed in signature red shirts also maintained security after a deadly clash a day earlier.
'The meeting has just started,' chief provincial spokesperson Parntip Thongngamkham told AFP by telephone.
Somchai said in a television address on Wednesday night that he had called the "urgent" cabinet meeting "to map out measures to restore nomalcy" as anti-government protesters seized two Bangkok airports.
He also rejected a call by the powerful Thai army chief to call snap elections, saying that his government was legitimate.
Fighting between rival political groups in Chiang Mai left one anti-government supporter dead on Wednesday, shortly after Somchai arrived there from a foreign trip.
He had been unable to fly to Bangkok because of the protests and instead chose to divert to Chiang Mai, the stronghold of his brother-in-law, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Witnesses said at least ten men in red shirts stood at every gate of the provincial hall as well as police.
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