These were the scenes at the Thai Finance Ministry in Bangkok as about 1, 000 anti-government protesters took up residence.

The occupation came during a day of mass protests to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The protesters were among more than 30,000 who marched to 13 areas across the city.

The backlash was triggered by a government-backed amnesty bill that would allow Shinawatra's brother Thaksin to return without having to serve a jail term for corruption.

Although the bill's been dropped for the time being the protests have escalated into all-out demands for a change of government and the departure of Yingluck.

She's already said she has no intention of resigning.

Yingluck is widely viewed as a proxy for her brother, a former prime minister.

She's facing a no-confidence debate on Tuesday.