Thai PM says losing patience with protests

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej gave his interior minister direct control of the police to end anti-government protests on Tuesday, saying his patience was running out.

"We will do everything to bring the situation back to normal," Samak said on national television after thousands of protesters stormed his government compound and a state television station in a bid to force him out of power.

(Reporting by Nopporn Wong-Anan; Writing by Darren Schuettler; Editing by Alan Raybould)