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| Thai Leader Survives Vote as Protests Continue | Thai Leader Survives Vote as Protests Continue |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BANGKOK — Ignoring Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s victory in a parliamentary no-confidence vote, protesters in Thailand continued their campaign to shut down government offices, temporarily cutting power on Thursday to Bangkok’s police headquarters. | |
| But the number of demonstrators appeared to have declined sharply, with police putting their numbers at around 15,000, compared with the tens of thousands who took over the Finance Ministry and surrounded other key government ministries earlier in the week. | But the number of demonstrators appeared to have declined sharply, with police putting their numbers at around 15,000, compared with the tens of thousands who took over the Finance Ministry and surrounded other key government ministries earlier in the week. |
| “Their numbers are declining gradually each day,” Piya Uthayo, a spokesman, said by telephone, adding that power had been restored to the police headquarters. | “Their numbers are declining gradually each day,” Piya Uthayo, a spokesman, said by telephone, adding that power had been restored to the police headquarters. |
| The protesters are seeking to rid the country of the influence of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who fled into exile in 2008 shortly before he was convicted of abuse of power. | The protesters are seeking to rid the country of the influence of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who fled into exile in 2008 shortly before he was convicted of abuse of power. |
| Ms. Yingluck, who is Mr. Thaksin’s sister, invoked Thailand’s long-serving monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in urging protesters to go home. The king’s birthday, a national holiday, is Dec. 5, and many protesters are ardent royalists. | |
| “This is a time when people will jointly honor His Majesty the King,” she said. | “This is a time when people will jointly honor His Majesty the King,” she said. |
| Saying that the government wanted to avoid confrontation, Ms. Yingluck also repeated earlier offers of dialogue with protesters. | Saying that the government wanted to avoid confrontation, Ms. Yingluck also repeated earlier offers of dialogue with protesters. |
| Akanat Promphan, a spokesman for the protest leaders, rejected Ms. Yingluck’s offer, calling it “insincere.” | Akanat Promphan, a spokesman for the protest leaders, rejected Ms. Yingluck’s offer, calling it “insincere.” |
| Ms. Yingluck’s speech came after her government easily survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament. | Ms. Yingluck’s speech came after her government easily survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament. |
| The 297-to-134 vote, which centered on the alleged mishandling of large government projects, was unsurprising given the governing party’s dominance in Parliament and the allegiance it commands in large swaths of the country, the result of years of policies that have sought to curry favor with rural areas. | |
| Mr. Thaksin, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, when he was deposed by the military, remains popular in the heavily populated northeast of the country but is despised by some who are resentful of his political dominance and who say he has used that power to further his business interests. He has also been accused of overshadowing the king, who commands strong loyalty after more than six decades on the throne, especially among older Thais. | Mr. Thaksin, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, when he was deposed by the military, remains popular in the heavily populated northeast of the country but is despised by some who are resentful of his political dominance and who say he has used that power to further his business interests. He has also been accused of overshadowing the king, who commands strong loyalty after more than six decades on the throne, especially among older Thais. |
| The protests this week were the largest in the country since 2010, when demonstrations were dispersed by a bloody military crackdown. | The protests this week were the largest in the country since 2010, when demonstrations were dispersed by a bloody military crackdown. |
| With critical coverage in the media and dwindling numbers of demonstrators, the protests appeared increasingly to be losing momentum. | With critical coverage in the media and dwindling numbers of demonstrators, the protests appeared increasingly to be losing momentum. |
| Business leaders, some of whom supported the initial rallies, have shown increased concern and impatience with the seizure of the Finance Ministry and the mobs of protesters crossing the capital with impunity. | Business leaders, some of whom supported the initial rallies, have shown increased concern and impatience with the seizure of the Finance Ministry and the mobs of protesters crossing the capital with impunity. |
| In scathing comments reported in Thai media on Thursday, Banthoon Lamsam, the chief executive of Kasikornbank, one of the country’s largest banks, urged politicians in the country to “act like adults.” | In scathing comments reported in Thai media on Thursday, Banthoon Lamsam, the chief executive of Kasikornbank, one of the country’s largest banks, urged politicians in the country to “act like adults.” |
| “Act in a way that shows you love Thailand,” he said, adding that his message was intended “for both sides.” | “Act in a way that shows you love Thailand,” he said, adding that his message was intended “for both sides.” |
| “We must have rules where everybody can work together,” he said. “We cannot go on this way, rising up to burn the country.” | “We must have rules where everybody can work together,” he said. “We cannot go on this way, rising up to burn the country.” |
Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting from Bangkok. | Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting from Bangkok. |