Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag, a respected bureaucrat, tendered his
resignation Wednesday amid signs that the prime minister may be forced to
follow suit soon, media reports said.
Tej, 65, a career diplomat, was appointed foreign minister just 40 days ago to
help solve a rift with neighbour Cambodia over a border dispute about the 11th
century Preah Vehear temple. He cited his wife's ill health as the reason for
his resignation.
Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej did not immediately accept the
resignation, according to the Bangkok Post online news service.
Samak, who is under increasing pressure to resign himself, is scheduled to
address the nation on public radio at 7:30 a.m. Thursday.
On Tuesday, Samak declared a state or emergency in Bangkok after a violent
clashes between pro-government and anti-government groups left one person dead
and 43 injured.
Despite the state of emergency, which prohibits the gathering of more than five
people for political purposes, thousands of anti- government followers of the
People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have refused to leave Govenment House,
the seat of the administration, which they seized on August 26 and have
occupied since.
The army's refusal to forcefully evict the protesters, who have been demanding
Samak's resignation since May 25, has highlighted the prime minister's
political weaknesses.
It was widely rumoured that Samak, 73, would announce his resignation Thursday
morning.
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