Thailand's embattled prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, declared a state of emergency today at Bangkok's two main airports as anti-government demonstrators refused to end their occupation.

Police were put in charge of removing the People's Alliance for Democracy protesters from the capital's airports, even though emergency rule gives the army legal authority to act.

Thailand's cabinet, meeting outside Bangkok to avoid the anti-government demonstrations, was preparing to use internal security law to break up the demonstrations that have paralysed the country, according to government spokesman Nattawut Sai-kua.

The government is also drawing up plans to fly out thousands of tourists with “urgent needs” from military bases in the next 48 hours.

Protesters demanding the resignation of Mr Somchai occupied Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday night, causing all flights to be cancelled. They wanted to ambush the prime minister as he returned from a summit in Peru.

They increased the pressure on the governmment today as they forced a second airport — the Don Muang domestic airport — to close in a bid to prevent government ministers from getting to the cabinet meeting.

Some ministers were flown on military planes from a nearby base to Chiang Mai, where Mr Somchai has stayed since returning to Thailand last night.

The prime minister's brother-in-law, the ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, has his support base in Chiang Mai. Mr Thaksin, who used to own Manchester City FC, is the focus of much of the protesters' anger, who accuse the regime of corruption.

There was also speculation in the Thai media that the prime minister might remove his army chief, Anupong Paochinda, who yesterday called for parliament to be dissolved and new elections to be held.

However, the prime minister shows no sign of moving and in a televised address to the nation, said his government was legitimately elected and that it has “a job to protect democracy for the people of Thailand”.

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