Bangkok ? Thailand’s embattled prime minister appeared on television today but offered no initiatives to end the country’s weekslong, sometimes bloody, political crisis a day after rejecting a compromise proposal by protesters occupying central Bangkok.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva spoke in a nationally televised interview a day after the breakdown of talks with the protesters — who are demanding new elections — dashed hopes that a peaceful way could be found to end the stalemate.

Clashes have killed at least 26 people and wounded nearly 1,000 others since the “Red Shirt” protesters began occupying key tourism and shopping areas of central Bangkok more than a month ago.