The government in Bangkok rejected an ultimatum by protesters at the weekend that Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand’s embattled prime minister, and his cabinet should leave office in the next 15 days – raising the prospect of further political unrest.

Wearing red shirts to show their solidarity, up to 30,000 unarmed anti-government protesters – who call themselves the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship – swarmed into Mr Abhisit’s office compound in Bangkok on Saturday in an attempt to press for a snap election and the reinstatement of the 1997 constitution.