BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand’s prime minister stayed away from the capital Monday, unable to quell a political crisis that has paralyzed his government for weeks and shut down the city’s two main airports and stranded 300,000 foreigners.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has refused to send in police to evict protesters besieging the airports or occupying his office complex for fear of bloodshed, instead making pleas for them to go home. The demonstrators vow to stay until Somchai resigns; he has refused.