Bangkok - Thai shares lost 2.87 per cent of their value Monday on the country's political unrest.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index ended at 386.12, down 11.39 points or 2.87 per cent.

"The main factor is domestic politics," said Phuwadon Larpudomsuk, of Asia Plus Securities. "The market started off weak and got worse as the protests continued."

Early Monday morning tens of thousands of protestors belonging to People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) marched on Parliament to prevent a joint session of both houses to open.

The session was cancelled, heightening perceptions that the government is powerless against the PAD, a loose coalition of groups adamantly opposed to the return to power of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his cronies. (dpa)