Thai PM plans referendum to end crisis

By Nopporn Wong-Anan

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand plans to hold a national referendum to end a political crisis over street protests against the government, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said on Thursday after rejecting calls to quit.

Leaders of the three-month-old campaign in Bangkok to oust Samak dismissed the plan, signalling that political uncertainty would continue to beset the Southeast Asian nation.

Late on Thursday night, a gunman on a motorcycle fired shots at a group of about 100 students marching to protest at Samak's home, wounding two of them, police said.

The campaign to force Samak to quit has been mostly peaceful, but one man was killed and 45 wounded in clashes earlier this week between pro- and anti-government groups, prompting the imposition of emergency rule which gives the army powers to intervene.

Police said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident and there was no tension in the city.

Samak, desperately seeking a way to end the crisis that has paralysed his government, said in a radio broadcast that he would urge the Senate to pass a pending referendum law quickly.

"The campaign will last for a month in which both sides can do whatever electioneering they want," he said, adding that the thousands of activists who have barricaded themselves within his official compound could stay there during this period.

But in an another apparent rebuff to Samak's plans, Senate President Prasobsuk Boondej said he did not believe a vote, even a rushed one, would end the crisis.