By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai troops Friday secured roads around a protest site in the heart of Bangkok in their ongoing crackdown on a two-month demonstration that has led to the loss of 30 lives.
There were clashes Friday morning between soldiers and protesters on the major artery Rama IV Road, which had been seized by demonstrators Thursday night.
By midday, the troops had secured the area although protesters set fire to barricades of rubber tyres to try to drive them off.
Thai authorities launched an offensive Thursday evening against thousands of protesters who have occupied the upmarket commercial district around Ratchaprasong Road since April 3.
The protests are aimed at forcing the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve parliament and hold new elections.
Thursday night was punctuated with rifle shots and explosions in the Lumpini Park neighbourhood, south of Ratchaprasong, where members of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) had set up makeshift barricades of tyres and bamboo sticks to keep troops out.
The UDD’s security chief, Major General Khattiya Sawasdipol, was shot in the head while being interviewed by foreign reporters and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Doctors said Friday that Khattiya, better known by his nickname Seh Daeng, was in critical condition and was unlikely to survive.
Grenades launched at the protesters also killed 25-year-old Chartchai Bualao and injured 32.
“The emergency centre did not order the killing of Seh Daeng,” the government’s emergency operations centre spokesman, Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said at a press conference.
Bangkok has been under emergency law since April 7 when the UDD protest took an aggressive turn by invading the parliament building.
The emergency decree grants soldiers and police some immunity in cracking down on protesters, but the government has laid down guidelines for the armed forces.
“The government position is clear; we do not have a policy to encourage violence,” government spokesman Panitan Wattayakorn said.
Meanwhile the UDD leadership, which shows no signs of leaving Ratchaprasong, condemned Abhisit for the latest attacks.
“Mr Abhisit, as prime minister, how much longer can you continue to kill people?” key UDD leader Nattawut Saikua asked.
Last week, Abhisit agreed to hold an election Nov 14 on the condition that the UDD call off its protest.
While the UDD initially welcomed the proposal, the leadership then came up with a series of additional conditions that scuttled the negotiations. Abhisit has now withdrawn the poll date.
“They blew it,” said Thai political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak, referring to the UDD. “But just because they blew it dopes not mean that Abhisit should blow it too. The government, if they are sincere about a peaceful resolution to the standoff, should always leave the door open for negotiations.”