By Darren Schuettler
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters blocked entrances to Thailand's parliament on Monday, forcing the maiden policy speech of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to be delayed in the latest twist to a three-year political crisis.
A parliamentary official said the speech had been put back to 2 p.m. (7 a.m. British time) from 9:30 a.m. because the safety of cabinet ministers and pro-government members of parliament could not be guaranteed.
"The safety of MPs could still not be assured, raising concern that politicians trying to go in may be hit by slingshots or harmed by some hot-headed people, which would tarnish the country's image, "Parliament Speaker Chai Chidchob told reporters.
"If by 2 p.m. today our safety still cannot be assured by the government and those responsible for keeping the situation under control, we may consider postponing the session further."
Thailand has seen four prime ministers this year, and street protests since May have all but paralysed government, culminating in a blockade of Bangkok airports at the turn of the month that devastated tourism and added to the country's economic problems.
Red-shirted supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted as prime minister in a coup in 2006, had rallied near parliament in protest at the election of former opposition leader Abhisit after horse-trading among the political parties two weeks ago.
The previous government, led by Thaksin's brother-in-law, had to step down after three parties in the ruling coalition were disbanded by the courts, which said they had committed vote fraud in a general election a year ago.
Satit Wongnongtaey, a minister in charge of relations with the media, said earlier the authorities were negotiating with the protesters to try to get access to parliament. "It is up to the discretion of the parliament speaker," Satit told reporters.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugusban told NBT television: "We will not allow government MPs to walk into parliament. It's too dangerous," he said.
Under the constitution, a new Thai government cannot start work officially until it delivers its policy statement to a joint sitting of the House of Representatives and Senate.
POLITICAL TURMOIL
Many of the protesters had slept overnight outside the building and hundreds more arrived by bus early on Monday.
Protesters carried pictures of Thaksin and others waved placards that read "Abhisit get out, this is a prostitute's government" and "We are ready to protect Thaksin."
Since the December 2007 election that ended army rule, pro-Thaksin governments have been undermined by a series of court cases and street protests led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a group that includes members of parliament from Abhisit's Democrat Party.
Royalist, anti-Thaksin PAD activists blockaded Bangkok's two main airports at the turn of this month, scaring off tourists and exacerbating a downturn in the economy.
A 59-year-old lawyer who lives near Bangkok and gave his name as Damrong said he was angry there had been no arrests since the airport blockades. "The Thai people want rule of law. This is not good for the country," he said outside parliament.
New Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said on Wednesday the country's export-driven economy would shrink in the fourth quarter and barely grow in 2009. Korn, an Oxford-educated former investment banker, forecast 2009 growth of between zero and 2 percent, the worst in a decade.
In a 50-page policy statement released to members of parliament and the media last week, Abhisit said boosting the economy would be among his government's priorities.
(Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Dean Yates)
