The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has spent the past three months trying to thwart the result of a democratic election in Thailand. Since August, hundreds of demonstrators have been occupying the Prime Minister's office to try to force him to resign. Frustrated that their sit-in has led neither to his downfall nor to an upsurge of support for their campaign, the protesters stepped up their disruption on Tuesday. They invaded Bangkok's main airport, causing the cancellation of dozens of flights, trapping some 3,000 bewildered passengers and dealing a blow to the tourist industry. It is hard to see how the definition of democracy can be stretched to cover either their aims or actions.

The PAD is a loose grouping of royalists, businessmen and the urban middle class, united only in their loathing of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister recently convicted in absentia of corruption. Thaskin, a wily and charismatic figure who is hugely popular among farmers and the urban poor, was ousted in a coup in 2006 that appeared to have royal blessing. Many Thais, including the military, were angered by his apparent lack of respect for the King. But when the army ruling council allowed new elections last year, his supporters swept back into power. The Government was led first by a bizarre former television chef, forced out because of his insistence on still making programmes, and then by Somchai Wongsawat, a diplomat who happens to be Thaksin's brother-in-law.

The PAD insists that Mr Somchai is merely a puppet of Thaksin, who remains influential although now in exile. But though the former Prime Minister - and former owner of Manchester City Football Club - is indeed a divisive, populist millionaire, whose methods are as questionable as his financial dealings, his supporters were elected fairly and squarely because a majority of Thais believe he did more for the have-nots than other politicians. His opponents, by contrast, have no coherent political programme, enjoy the support of shadowy right-wing groups and seem unprepared either to accept the will of the majority or to end their civil disobedience.

Caught in the middle is General Anupong Paochinda, the head of Thailand's powerful army, which has come under pressure to intervene again to end the stand-off and growing administrative paralysis. So far, the police and the military have shown unwarranted restraint, using neither force against the demonstrators nor the pretext to take power again. General Anupong yesterday admitted that a fresh coup would be universally condemned, but “advised” the Prime Minister to call new elections. His call was ignored both by Mr Somchai, who insisted that he was legitimately elected, and by the PAD, which knows that a fresh vote would probably return the same result.

The stalemate has all the makings of a dangerous downward vortex. Thailand has been a free, tolerant, prosperous society and a beacon of constitutional democracy among less enlightened neighbours. Another military coup would send the wrong signal. The PAD cannot claim to be defending democracy by intimidation. But Mr Somchai should not hang on amid growing chaos. Fresh elections may not soften the confrontation. But a clear new popular mandate would be harder for any mob or ideologues to overturn.