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By AMBIKA AHUJA / AP WRITER | BANGKOK — Thousands of protesters surrounded the Thai government's temporary headquarters at Bangkok's domestic airport on Tuesday, trying to bring the administration to a standstill a day after blocking a Parliament session.

The protesters, seeking the resignation of what they allege is a corrupt government, camped overnight outside the former VIP terminal at Don Muang airport that now serves as the office for Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

Somchai was in Peru for a summit of Pacific Rim leaders and not expected back until Wednesday. The VIP terminal is about half a mile (1 kilometer) from the main passenger terminal and protesters showed no immediate sign of trying to disrupt travel.

However, travelers were advised to arrive early for flights, and traffic was expected to be heavier than usual because of the protest, the airport's deputy director, Viroj Ewcharoen, said in a statement.

Protest leaders said their goal is to block the government from meeting—whenever and wherever that may be.

"We'll protest until there is no Cabinet meeting," said a protest leader, Somsak Kosaisuk. "We'll interrupt their every attempt to ruin the country further."

The weekly Cabinet meeting is usually held on Tuesdays but was changed to Wednesday because of the protest. The government has not disclosed where its next meeting will take place.

The protest marked the second day of what the People's Alliance for Democracy calls its "final showdown" with the government in its campaign to force Somchai's resignation.

A top protest leader Chamlong Srimuang vowed that Tuesday's protest would be "more intense" than the day before.

Thousands of protesters blockaded Parliament on Monday and forced it to postpone a special joint session of both houses. Smaller rallies were held at the Finance Ministry and other government offices.

The blockade was the latest turn in a political crisis that began in 2006, when a similar campaign against then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra led to him being deposed by a military coup for alleged corruption and abuse of power.

But further efforts to cripple Thaksin's political machine failed, and his political allies won a December 2007 election.

The alliance then resumed its street protests and finally stormed the prime minister's office compound known as Government House on August 26, vowing not to leave until they have forced Thaksin's allies from power. They accuse Somchai of acting as a proxy for Thaksin, who is his brother-in-law.

Until now, Somchai had distanced himself from the protesters by working out of makeshift offices at Don Muang, the former international airport.

Police, under strict orders to avoid the use of force, exercised restraint on Monday as demonstrators pushed past them. There were only minor scuffles with protesters outside the parliament building.

Thailand's economy, already struggling amid the global downturn, has been hit hard by the political turmoil. The state planning agency said on Monday it grew at its slowest pace in more than three years this past quarter.

Thaksin, who is currently in Dubai, said he could steady the economy and would return home if the king pardoned him.

"With me at the helm I can bring confidence quickly back to Thailand," Thaksin told Arabian Business magazine.

Thaksin fled Thailand in August to escape corruption charges. He has been sentenced to two years in jail for violating a conflict of interest law.