**The Thai government has told red-shirt protesters it will begin cutting off supplies to their Bangkok camps if they do not pack up and go home immediately.**Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would cancel his proposal for an early election if the red-shirts refused to clear the city.
Mr Abhisit has threatened tough actions before and not followed through, since a failed, fatal crackdown on 10 April.
The red-shirts want the government to take responsibility for the fatalities.
Protesters blame the government for the deaths of 19 protesters, one journalist and five soldiers in the 10 April crackdown.
The protesters - a loose coalition of left-wing activists, democracy campaigners and supporters of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - say the government is illegitimate because it came to power through a parliamentary deal rather than an election.
They began their protest on 14 March, demanding fresh elections.
The BBC’s Rachel Harvey in Bangkok says the government’s ultimatum ordering the protesters to leave by the end of Wednesday comes after a period of relative calm in the long and bitter dispute.
Protest leaders had broadly accepted the prime minister’s plan for November elections and national reconciliation.
But they have recently added their own set of demands, including that the Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban face charges in connection with the failed security operation in April.
More than 40 protesters themselves face charges ranging from breaching the terms of emergency law, to terrorism.
Our correspondent says that it now seems that the government has decided it is time for the bargaining to stop.
‘Take measures’
Mr Abhisit revealed his impatience in a speech to parliament on Tuesday night, and his armed forces commander reiterated the warnings of a protest clearance on Wednesday morning.
Mr Abhisit told reporters the cabinet had decided on Tuesday that the security forces needed to “take measures” quickly.
“This may affect people in the area, not just protesters but also people who work there and people who live there,” he said.
“So we ask that the protesters make a gesture by going home tomorrow. Other issues can be discussed later if they are sincere about reconciliation.”
“If they do not leave by today, the measures will begin,” said armed forces spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd.
“The measures will start at midnight tonight, including the cutting off of power, water and telephones.”
Infrastructure including buses, trains and the city’s important waterway transport system would be blocked.
“We will also block their food supply,” he said.
Thousands of protesters have been camped out in Bangkok for two months.
The red-shirt camp has its own generators and fuel supplies, and stockpiles of both drinking and washing water.
They are occupying major thoroughfares in the centre of the city, closing shops and hotels.
Several elite schools are within the red-shirt camp and their term is supposed to begin next week.
In a much-delayed announcement on Monday night, the red-shirts accepted Mr Abhisit’s offer of elections on 14 November but said they would not go home until the deputy prime minister surrendered to police.
Mr Suthep was in charge of security operations on 10 April, when 25 people - including five soldiers - were killed in a failed attempt to disperse protesters.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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