HERE ARE some telling excerpts from some of the more respected outlets reporting the standoff between the protesting People's Alliance for Democracy and the PM who refuses to step down.

We have condensed the articles. Full reports can be found online on the respective sites:

Publication: Times Online, Britain
Headline: People's Alliance for Democracy's narrow nationalism in Thailand
Reporter: Richard Lloyd Parry

''FAR FROM demanding more democracy, it (PAD) is calling for a restriction of voting rights. 'The PAD gives democracy a bad name,' Sunai Phasuk, of Human Rights Watch, said. 'It's not about democracy, it's about narrow nationalism.' It could turn back the clock and make the progress Thailand has made in the last two decades meaningless. The 'Last Battle', as its leaders call it, has exposed the PAD's darker side. Its insistence on the rule of law looks ironic, given its actions: the occupation of the centre of government in defiance of arrest warrants issued against its leaders. Its original call for the head of Mr Samak has broadened to a demand for veto power over the Government. Its biggest rhetorical difficulty is the inconvenient truth that, whatever their shortcomings, Mr Thaksin and Mr Samak were chosen by democratically elected parliaments.''



Publication:Time magazine
Headline: The Battle for Thailand
Reporter: Hannah Beech

''Even at the best of times, politics in Thailand hardly hews to the script of a mature democracy. But the current stalemate is rapidly reaching that of political farce, with a distinct possibility of degenerating into tragedy. 'This way of trying to overthrow the government will create turmoil,' warns Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political-science professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, of the opposition alliance's tactics. 'If the PAD gets its way, it will do far-reaching damage to our democratic system.' 'If democracy brings Samak, then I don't want it,' says Wijeau Noinoo, a finance executive from the southern city of Trang who was relaxing on the terrace of Government House. 'We have to figure out another way.' The PAD has charged itself with finding that alternative path. Led by a motley crew that includes a retired army general, a media mogul and a labor activist, it organized anti-Thaksin rallies back in 2006 that swelled to tens of thousands of people before the military finally toppled the former Prime Minister. If a snap election were held tomorrow, Samak's PPP would most likely win again.

Publication: The Economist
Headline: Worse than a coup
Introduction: An authoritarian rabble should not be allowed to turf out a deeply flawed but popularly elected government

'STANDING up for democracy sometimes entails standing up for some unappealing democrats. Thailand's pugnacious prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, is an especially hard man to defend.But with the army on the streets of Bangkok again, Mr Samak is for once, if not in the right, then at least less wrong than those calling for his head. His government is deeply flawed. But it would be wrong and dangerous if the authoritarian rabble who have seized Government House in Bangkok forced it out of office. The PAD's leaders are neither liberals nor democrats. A gruesome bunch of reactionary businessmen, generals and aristocrats, they demand not fresh elections, which they would lose, but 'new politics' -- in fact a return to old-fashioned authoritarian rule, with a mostly appointed parliament and powers for the army to step in when it chooses. Thailand's foreign friends should make clear to the Thai elite that toppling elected governments would be a step backwards. Foreign tourists, seeing the unchecked disorder on their television screens, including blockades of some airports, may soon be imposing a boycott of their own.'

AND HERE ARE a couple of relevant news reports:

Publication: Hongkong Standard
Headline: Thailand last resort for tourists
Reporter: Nickkita Lau

''TRAVEL: agencies are scrambling to offer tours to Beijing, Hainan Island, Bali and Okinawa as alternatives to Thailand, which is embroiled in anti-government protests. According to one agency, customers are showing no interest in joining tours to Thailand. Sunflower Travel assistant general manager Anthony Chan Hung-cheong said it is instead offering tours to other destinations over the Mid-Autumn Festival. Chan said Thailand has always been one of the top picks in both peak and low seasons. A regular five-day tour to Bangkok and Pattaya starts from HK$1,899 and Phuket, HK$2,500. The agency is now pushing tours to Beijing, hoping the post-Olympic atmosphere can still draw visitors.''


Publication: Kazakhstan Today

''THE Passengers of 'Air Astana' Almaty-Bangkok-Almaty can turn back their tickets or change departure date, reported the agency referring to the message spread by Public Relations department of the company. 'Air Astana aviation company, taking in consideration the latest events in Thailand, does its best, in order to help the passengers to plan their trips, it can be tickets return or re-booking of the tickets. Along with this, we mark that Bangkok airport works in usual regime and flights follow their schedule,' said Ashendra Liange, vice-president of marketing and sales of Air Astana. According to the message, if the flight is planned till the end of September, tickets return and change will be made without any fines. The client should present the company written application and original tickets. In case, the trip is planned for October and following months, the tickets will be taken according to the rules on fining. 'This decision was made in order to support compatriots and foreign citizens, being worried about visiting the country in the period of temporary complications in socio-political conditions in Thailand,' reported the company's PR department. 'The government of Thailand takes all the measures directed to resolve situation and assures about the absence of direct threat to the tourists, at the same time it recommends to be careful and not to attend crowded places. We hope that air company passengers will be able to attend the capital of this state the nearest time without any fears and enjoy recreation conditions,' reported the company.


PLUS the satire of Not The Nation:

'BANGKOK - Despite the relative calm following PAD intrusions into several government offices, the world media continue to claim that the country has collapsed into anarchy and chaos. As ordinary Thais go to their daily jobs and lives, The New York Times writes that the ''government has been shut down and social order revoked by an organized army of over a million protestors.'' Even though only three schools near the Government House have suspended classes, CNN has placed all Thailand-related stories under a flaming banner reading ''Civil War in Siam,'' with story leaders describing city-wide power outages, roving mobs of homicidal anarchists, and rumors of an inevitable military intervention by ''UN peacekeepers.'' Even with the actual death toll at 0 and the number of severely injured at 0, FOX NEWS continues to stand by its story that Parliament was burned to death in its chambers, Communists are fighting monks in running street battles using tactical nuclear weapons, and every Thai child is being raped by a foreign pedophile who supports Barack Obama.'