Bangkok - Thailand's 43 state enterprise unions failed to deliver a nationwide strike Wednesday in a show of support for protestors who have occupied Government House for the past week, forcing the prime minister to declare a state of emergency.

On Monday representatives of some 43 state enterprises and 200,000 state employees threatened a nationwide strike starting 9 am Wednesday to support members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have occupied the seat of government since August 26.

The strike promised to cut basic utilities such as electricity and water to selected government targets and close down the port in Bangkok.

As of mid-day Wednesday the strike has yet to materialize, although some state enterprises such as the Electricty Generating Authority of Thailand reported an unusually large number of absentees.

A Thai Airways International flight from Phitsanulok to Bangkok was cancelled by the captain and crew Wednesday morning on the excuse that they weren't "feeling ready" to fly.

"The decision to strike is up to them," said Somsak Kosaisuk, a senior PAD leader and the former labour union leader at the State Railways of Thailand (SRT).

SRT's labour union has partially closed down the national rail network since Friday but was back in operation Wednesday.

Despite the state enterprise labour unions' failure to pull off a nationwide strike, and the imposition of emergency law, the PAD was not showing signs of vacating Government House.

PAD's Somsak said Wednesday that the movement still insisted that Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej resign before they enter into negotiations.

Samak on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the capital after a violent clash between pro-government and anti-government groups left one person dead and 43 others injured.

The clash was prompted when pro-government groups attempted to expel thousands of PAD followers from Government House, the government's office headquarters.

Army Commander-in-Chief General Anupong Paojinda has been appointed to head a committee to solve the standoff between the PAD and office-less government.

The general made clear at a press conference Tuesday that the military would not use violence to expel the PAD from Government House, raising questions as to how he intends to solve the crisis.

PAD leaders insist they will not leave the compound until Samak resigns and a new prime minister listens to their demands. (dpa)