Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat returned Wednesday evening to the country from a APEC meeting in Peru to face intensified besiege by anti-government protesters to topple him.

The charter plane boarding Somchai and some Cabinet members landed at the military airport in northern province Chiang Mai at 6:15 p.m. (1115 GMT) Wednesday evening.

He was welcomed by supporters in red T-shirts at the airport.

Somchai was earlier expected to land at Don Mueang military airport in Bangkok but changed the plan after the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) besieged the Don Mueang and later Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Tuesday night, paralysing all air service for the day.

Chiang Mai was home to the coup-ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, brother-in-law of Somchai, and also a stronghold of Thaksin-founded, now-dissolved Thai Rak Thai party.

After landing, when asked about his response on the proposal of the Army Chief Anupong Paochinda to urge the government to dissolve the House of Representatives soon as a way out of the escalating confrontation with PAD, Somchai declined to comment on it before he examines the proposal's details.

The embattled premier responded with a smile. He had insisted that he would not resign just because the PAD demanded him to as he was legally elected.

The PAD has vowed to continue their rallies and besieges on the airports and the Government House until Somchai steps down.

(Xinhua News Agency November 26, 2008)