Red-shirted protesters emptied bottles of their blood outside the home of Thailand's prime minister on Wednesday in a symbolic sacrifice after the government rejected calls for elections.

Thousands of "Red Shirts", loyal to fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, began moving across Bangkok from their rally ground near government offices to the affluent Sukhumvit district, most by truck, car and motorcycle.

The supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra are not letting up in their campaign for new elections.

They promised a city-wide march on Saturday, bringing in reinforcements to cover thousands of protesters who became weary and left after days on the street in the scorching Bangkok heat.

"The government may think this is nearly over -- it isn't," a protest leader, Nattawut Saikua, told reporters, calling on Bangkok residents to join them.

Honking horns, singing folk songs and waving red flags, protesters converged on Abhisit's house in an affluent Bangkok neighbourhood where they splashed blood -- a few spoonfuls donated by each -- on the gates and fences amid pouring rain.

"We have washed Abhisit's house with the blood of the common people to express our wish," said Nattawut, as thousands of supporters rattled plastic clappers.

Protesters say the splashing of blood was a "symbolic sacrifice for democracy". It is also a bid to re-energise a peaceful movement that appears to be waning in numbers.

On Tuesday, protesters poured blood outside Abhisit's office and his Democrat Party's headquarters.

Thousands of the "red shirt" protesters later on Wednesday gathered briefly outside the U.S. embassy demanding clarification of comments by Thailand's deputy prime minister that he had received foreign intelligence suggesting acts of sabotage could take place during the rally.

Citing unnamed sources, local media suggested he was referring to U.S. intelligence, reportedly gleaned from a tapped phone conversation involving Thaksin. U.S embassy officials declined to comment.

The government has repeatedly warned of possible sabotage, including bombings and assassinations but critics say the government is playing up the fear to discredit the protesters.

Abhisit has not stayed at his home since Friday and has taken refuge at a military base, keeping a low profile.

He went to the drought-afflicted north on Tuesday and left the capital on Wednesday for a funeral in the south.


Agencies