THOUSANDS of rightwing anti-government marchers were met by police firing tear gas and water cannon in Bangkok today when they tried to force their way into a government compound.

Over 10,000 demonstrators were threatening to escalate actions unless the entire government stands down within the next three days.

Traffic ground to a halt around the Thai capital as protesters marched to Government House and Parliament, surrounding several public television stations. 

They have called on TV media groups to stop broadcasting government news and instead air protesters’ announcements.

“We won’t interrupt regular programming but, whenever we need to speak to people all over the country, broadcast it live,” protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban demanded.

The anti-democratic movement has said it is not satisfied with the Thursday indictment of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra over alleged corruption and is determined to replace the elected government with an unelected, pro-monarchy committee.

Its activists are opposing polls tentatively scheduled for July, which the ruling Puea Thai party would almost certainly win.

Five people were injured at the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order during the disturbances as protesters tried to push down barbed wire-topped concrete barriers outside the compound.

The removal of Ms Shinawatra from office on Wednesday emboldened anti-government protesters, who are backed by the country’s urban elite and have staged six months of vociferous and sometimes violent demonstrations.

Mr Thaugsuban demanded that the Supreme Court president, the Senate speaker and the Election Commission jointly work to oust the current government.

“We want the change of government to be smooth. But if you cannot do it smoothly within three days, we the people will do it in our own way,” Mr Thaugsuban threatened.

The court ruling against Ms Shinawatra has angered her supporters, known as the red shirts, who have called for a huge rally today to show support for the government, which won a landslide victory in 2011 elections.

Mr Thaugsuban called yesterday’s rally a “final offensive,” a declaration mocked by Thai media, which noted this was the 11th time in six months he had summoned supporters for a final protest.