Thai police say will block Friday protest march

BANGKOK, June 18 (Reuters) - Thai police are prepared to use fire hoses and tear gas to stop a planned anti-government march on the Prime Ministers' office, a spokesman said on Wednesday, signalling stiffened resolve against a month-long street protest.

Leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has been calling for the removal of the government since May 25, said on Tuesday night they would march on Government House on Friday afternoon in a "D-day" show-down with the authorities.

"We are ready to deal with this. We have contingency plans," police spokesman Suraphon Thuanthong told Reuters.

"We have trucks that can block the march to Government House. If the barriers and trucks can't stop them, we have other measures, including fire trucks and hoses and tear gas," Suraphon, a police major-general, said.

The stock market has fallen nearly 12 percent since the PAD launched its campaign, triggering concern among investors about political tensions at a time of slowing economic growth and soaring inflation.

Fears of clashes last month between police and demonstrators even sparked rumours of another military coup less than two years after the army's removal of billionaire prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. (Reporting by Panarat Thempgumpanat, Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Darren Schuettler and Roger Crabb)