Anti-government protesters gathered outside the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) office on Tuesday (January 14) and forced an early end to the working day, with a stream of employees leaving through the compound gates.

The protesters moved to tighten the blockade around ministries, while major intersections in the capital Bangkok remained blocked.

Many ministries and the central bank were forced to work from back-up offices on Monday (January 13) after protesters led by Suthep Thaugsuban stopped civil servants getting to work.

Groups of demonstrators marched peacefully from their seven big protest camps to ministries, the customs office, the planning agency and other state bodies on Tuesday, aiming to paralyse the workings of government.

Any disruption to government services would compound the problems faced by Yingluck, who dissolved parliament in December and called a snap election for February. She now heads a caretaker administration that has a limited remit and cannot initiate policies that commit the next government.

Yingluck has worked since Monday from Defence Ministry facilities on the outskirts of Bangkok. Officials said that Tuesday's regular cabinet meeting had been cancelled.

Yingluck invited protest leaders and political parties to a meeting on Wednesday (January 15) to discuss an Election Commission proposal to postpone the election until May.

However, Suthep has repeatedly said he is not interested in any election. He wants the government to be replaced by an unelected "people's council" that will change the electoral system.

Presented by Adam Justice

Thailand