Suthep represents the traditional Thai elite, a loose confederation of royalists, top bureaucrats, businesspeople and high-ranking military officers. He is demanding the creation of a non-elected "People's Council" that would replace Yingluck's administration, which swept into power in a landslide election two years ago. Yingluck's brother has lived in self-imposed exile since 2008, fleeing charges of corruption and abuse of power, though he remains immensely powerful and is believed to be involved in most major government decisions.
Yingluck said Saturday that she was open to new elections. "We don't have any resistance about resigning or dissolving Parliament," she said.
But Suthep has said that the prime minister's resignation would not be enough to end the crisis. He has also rejected any new election because he knows the opposition would likely be soundly defeated. Various incarnations of Yingluck's party, which has massive support among poor and rural voters, have won every election the country has held since 2001.
The prime minister said that the crisis does not appear to be nearing an end, but that "it might not last long" if the parties begin serious negotiations.
There is no sign, though, of that happening. On Friday, Suthep urged his followers to turn out en masse Monday for what he said would be a final showdown, raising more fears of violence after several days of calm.
Security officials said Saturday that they would re-erect multiple layers of barricades around Government House before Monday's protests, and that rings of soldiers and police none carrying weapons would also be deployed.
Last week, the government helped defuse the protests by taking down those barricades and allowing protesters into many government compounds.
___
Associated Press writer Todd Pitman contributed to this report.