Thai standoff turns violent

Thai troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas towards protestors, as they moved in on Friday to seal the encampment of the Red Shirts in the centre of Bangkok. A loud blast and gunshots were also heard, though it is unclear if the troops were using live rounds. Protestors set off fireworks on security forces in response. Foreign Embassies in the area were closed amid violence. A Thai photographer and a Bangkok based-foreign journalist were wounded.

There have been reports that some protestors set fire into an empty police bus and vandalised army vehicles and water canons near Lumpini Park, near downtown Bangkok. The Red Shirts had formed their own checkpoint overnight at the famous Suan Lam night market to stop soldiers from sealing roads leading to the Ratchaprasong site, a key intersection in the city where protesters have set up camp. According to AFP news agency, at least three Red Shirts were seen being detained by the security forces.

'No imminent crackdown'

Army spokesperson Sunsern Kaewkumnerd has said there are about 2,000 Red Shirts in the area and that the army has been ordered to disperse them after they 'intimidated authorities with weapons'. As part of the operation, the electricity to that part of the capital has been cut off and rail system shut down. Sunsern has also insisted that Thai security forces are not planning an imminent crackdown to force protesters out of their rally site.

The latest violence comes following the shooting of renegade Major General Khattiya Sawasdipol, who is also considered as the military advisor of the Red Shirts. He has been accused of trying to jeopardise the government's moves to reconcile with the protestors. He was shot in the head on Thursday. His condition remains critical.

Reconciliation deal collapsed

The protesters have been occupying parts of Bangkok for more than two months. They want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections. They consider the present government illegitimate because it came to power in a parliamentary vote in 2008 after a court ousted elected allies of former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whom the Red Shirts support. Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006. He lives in a self-imposed exile ever since.

Premier Abhisit offered earlier this month to hold polls in November. The Red Shirts had initially welcomed the move. But they refused to disperse. They want Suthep Thaugsuban, deputy prime minster, who was in charge of security, to face criminal charges for a deadly crackdown on protests last month.

Meanwhile ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra has called on the government to pull back troops and restart negotiations with the Red Shirts. "I believe that a political solution still exists for Thailand," Thaksin said in a statement released by his legal adviser in Bangkok.

Clashes between the troops and the Red Shirts have claimed 30 lives and injured over 1,000 in the last two months, threatening the country's stability, economy and tourism industry.

du/AFP/Reuters/AP/dpa
Editor: Thomas Baerthlein