Thousands of anti-government demonstrators allied with former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra staged their first major protest of the year in Bangkok today, demanding the government dissolve Parliament and call snap elections.

THAI prime minister Somchai Wongsawat last night rejected his army chief’s call to quit in the face of anti- government protests that threaten to spiral out of control across the country.

A unionist MP today expressed concern that the Provisional IRA or dissident republicans could be using a cover name for the organisation to allow vigilante violence to take place in the North.

The Provisional IRA may have shot dead a drug dealer in Northern Ireland, it was claimed tonight.