"He lied. He should no longer be a prime minister," said Vichai Chanhorm, 50, a fruit farmer from Nonthaburi, shortly after Thaksin failed to arrive by 10am.

"Can the international community trust the guy?"

Despite government confirmation on Wednesday night that Thaksin would go to Government House to chair an important meeting, by yesterday morning he had had a change of heart and headed to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The protesters had hoped to catch him for a face-to-face dialogue but ended up having to shout slogans such as, "Thaksin get out!" and "If you're shameless enough to stay on then stay."

Many anti-Thaksin banners were hanging from the main gate of his official workplace.

"If you want to stay on, stay but we won't accept you. You can stay but we won't respect you. We will fight non-violently and adhere to the sovereignty of this Kingdom," one read. "Thaksin-free zone," read another.

"The premier doesn't keep his word. He has abandoned his office [at Government House] for some time now and should no longer be regarded as the premier," said Vorapha Thaengsrisuwan, a 51-year-old middle-class Bangkok housewife. "But he's always capable of unimaginable things."

"I'm not surprised. That's how he is," said Pitsamai Sodavichit, 29. "He's a good liar."

Labour activist Somsak Kosaisuk, one of the five core leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy, which organised the mass rally at Government House, was walking around in frustration a little after 10am.

"He lies and lies again. He doesn't want to solve the [political] impasse and he's causing more problems. The problem is now with him and if he doesn't resign, he's making himself the problem."

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation