Kurdish Delight

Monks of the "Dharma Army" chanted prayers on Monday to greet the dawn of what leaders of a campaign against Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra say is the start of round-the-clock protests to force him to quit. But Thaksin repeated that his resignation would mean bowing to a small group of people, not the great majority who voted him into power, and he would not do it. "You can't tell me to quit before you call off the rally, otherwise my resignation would mean the people's power in democracy means nothing," Thaksin told reporters in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen. He was there campaigning for the April 2 snap election he called in a counter-attack against a campaign to oust him which took off after his relatives sold the business empire Thaksin founded for a tax-free $1.9 billion in January. Thaksin won a second consecutive landslide election 12 months ago, but has seen his popularity wane under accusations of undermining constitutional checks and balances and tailoring policy to suit his family's business. "I have already retreated several steps, but I have to hang on to principles, otherwise the country would have no rules," he said.