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| Thai Premier Rejects Demands That She Quit | Thai Premier Rejects Demands That She Quit |
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| BANGKOK — Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday rejected demands by antigovernment protesters that she step aside before elections she called in response to weeks of demonstrations. | BANGKOK — Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday rejected demands by antigovernment protesters that she step aside before elections she called in response to weeks of demonstrations. |
| “I cannot retreat any further,” Ms. Yingluck said on national television, her voice shaking. “Please be fair to me.” | “I cannot retreat any further,” Ms. Yingluck said on national television, her voice shaking. “Please be fair to me.” |
| Under Thai law, Ms. Yingluck and her cabinet must serve until a new government is elected. The vote is scheduled for February. | Under Thai law, Ms. Yingluck and her cabinet must serve until a new government is elected. The vote is scheduled for February. |
| The protesters, who have massed tens of thousands of people in Bangkok in their campaign to banish Ms. Yingluck and her powerful family from the country, have demanded that her cabinet resign in favor of a royally appointed caretaker government and have been unmoved by her calling new elections. Their demand has been widely derided by scholars, even those who have long opposed Ms. Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister and the patriarch of the country’s most influential political clan. | The protesters, who have massed tens of thousands of people in Bangkok in their campaign to banish Ms. Yingluck and her powerful family from the country, have demanded that her cabinet resign in favor of a royally appointed caretaker government and have been unmoved by her calling new elections. Their demand has been widely derided by scholars, even those who have long opposed Ms. Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister and the patriarch of the country’s most influential political clan. |
| The American State Department issued a statement this week saying that Washington “strongly supports democratic institutions and the democratic process in Thailand.” | The American State Department issued a statement this week saying that Washington “strongly supports democratic institutions and the democratic process in Thailand.” |
| At the heart of the opposition’s protests is its skepticism about some of the fundamentals of Thai democracy. The protesters are especially disenchanted with the country’s winner-takes-all parliamentary system that has allowed Mr. Thaksin’s party to dominate for two decades. | |
| The policies of the governing party, including universal health care and guaranteed high prices for rice farmers, have cemented strong support in the populous northern and northeastern parts of the country but created great resentment in Bangkok and other areas where the opposition has traditionally been strong. | The policies of the governing party, including universal health care and guaranteed high prices for rice farmers, have cemented strong support in the populous northern and northeastern parts of the country but created great resentment in Bangkok and other areas where the opposition has traditionally been strong. |
| The protest leaders say they have little faith that Ms. Yingluck will not abuse the power of her incumbency in the run-up to the Feb. 2 elections. They cite the appointment of senior civil servants friendly to the government and the tacit sympathy of the police toward the government. | The protest leaders say they have little faith that Ms. Yingluck will not abuse the power of her incumbency in the run-up to the Feb. 2 elections. They cite the appointment of senior civil servants friendly to the government and the tacit sympathy of the police toward the government. |
| Yet in recent years two of the most powerful institutions in the country — the courts and the military — have often been hostile to Mr. Thaksin and his allies. Mr. Thaksin was removed from office in a military coup in 2006 and his party has twice been dissolved by the courts. It re-registered under new names, all with the guidance of Mr. Thaksin, who has been in exile but remains its main inspiration. | Yet in recent years two of the most powerful institutions in the country — the courts and the military — have often been hostile to Mr. Thaksin and his allies. Mr. Thaksin was removed from office in a military coup in 2006 and his party has twice been dissolved by the courts. It re-registered under new names, all with the guidance of Mr. Thaksin, who has been in exile but remains its main inspiration. |
| Mr. Thaksin’s party returned to power in 2011 largely because of overwhelming electoral support in the north and northeast. | Mr. Thaksin’s party returned to power in 2011 largely because of overwhelming electoral support in the north and northeast. |
| The proposal by protesters to bypass the Constitution and set up an unelected council to run the country has been widely interpreted in Thailand as an effort to avoid another stinging loss in the February elections. The opposition Democrat Party, which has not stated whether it would contest the elections, has not won a national election since the 1990s. | The proposal by protesters to bypass the Constitution and set up an unelected council to run the country has been widely interpreted in Thailand as an effort to avoid another stinging loss in the February elections. The opposition Democrat Party, which has not stated whether it would contest the elections, has not won a national election since the 1990s. |
| With thousands of protesters still camping out near the prime minister’s office on Tuesday, the way forward is unclear. | With thousands of protesters still camping out near the prime minister’s office on Tuesday, the way forward is unclear. |
| Although Thailand’s king issued a decree on Monday making the election date official, one of the country’s five election commissioners, Sodsri Satayathum, expressed some doubt. | Although Thailand’s king issued a decree on Monday making the election date official, one of the country’s five election commissioners, Sodsri Satayathum, expressed some doubt. |
| “The election commission is ready to hold elections, but I’m not sure whether the political groups want to hold it or not,” Ms. Sodsri said. “If the political groups are not ready for an election, there’s no use for the election commission to do it.” | “The election commission is ready to hold elections, but I’m not sure whether the political groups want to hold it or not,” Ms. Sodsri said. “If the political groups are not ready for an election, there’s no use for the election commission to do it.” |
Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting. | Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: December 10, 2013 | Correction: December 10, 2013 |
An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to the dissolution of Mr. Thaksin’s political party. It was dissolved in 2006 and in 2008 — not twice in 2008. | An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to the dissolution of Mr. Thaksin’s political party. It was dissolved in 2006 and in 2008 — not twice in 2008. |