Amid tight security thousands of Red Shirt opposition supporters paid final respects today to the Thai renegade general assassinated at the height of last month’s anti-government protests.

Thailand’s Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on terrorism charges related to the country’s recent bloody protests.

Almost the entire core leadership of the Thai protesters who built barricades and battled with soldiers in central Bangkok was in custody following the surrender today of two top organisers, official media said.

THAILAND’S prime minister extended a night time curfew in the capital and said he will consider early elections only after the violence that has wracked the nation for the past two months is completely over.

THAILAND’S premier said order has been restored after a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests triggered mayhem in the capital, but that the divided kingdom faces “huge challenges“.

Buildings smouldered across central Bangkok early today and troops exchanged sporadic fire with pockets of die-hards a day after the army routed anti-government protesters in a push to end Thailand’s deadliest political violence in nearly 20 years.

CENTRAL Bangkok became a flaming battleground yesterday as an army assault forced anti-government protest leaders to surrender, enraging followers who shot grenades and set fire to landmark buildings, cloaking the skyline in black smoke.

Central Bangkok became a flaming battleground today as an army assault forced anti-government protest leaders to surrender, enraging followers who shot grenades and set fire to landmark buildings, cloaking the skyline in black smoke.

THE Thai government rejected a proposal yesterday for peace talks with leaders of the Red Shirt protesters to end the deadly mayhem gripping Bangkok, saying negotiations cannot start until the demonstrators disperse.

The Thai government today rejected peace talks with Red Shirt protesters to end the deadly chaos in Bangkok, demanding the demonstrators disperse first.

The renegade army general who worked for Thailand’s Red Shirt protesters died today, five days after he was shot by a sniper.

THAILAND’S government insisted a crackdown on Red Shirt protesters will continue despite their plea for UN-mediated talks to end four days of street clashes with troops that have killed 30 people.

Thailand’s Red Shirt protest leaders said today they are willing to negotiate with the government if the army ends its crackdown immediately to put an end to four days of street fighting that has killed 25 people.

Thai authorities today announced they plan to impose a curfew in parts of Bangkok that have been wracked by clashes between Red Shirt protesters and the army.

Thailand’s prime minister has today defended the deadly army crackdown on protesters in Bangkok, saying the country’s very future was at stake.

The Thai army has designated an area in central Bangkok as a “live firing zone” in a warning to protesters and local residents.

Thai troops clashed with protesters for a third day in Bangkok today, as streets in the centre of the city became battlegrounds and authorities struggled to contain Red Shirt demonstrators demanding the prime minister's resignation.

THAI troops fired bullets at anti-government protesters, and explosions thundered in the heart of Bangkok yesterday as an army push to clear the streets and end a two-month political standoff sparked clashes that have killed eight and wounded 101.

Troops opened fire on Thai protesters in deadly clashes today as spiralling street violence threatened to plunge the country into chaos.

Troops fired on anti-government protesters rioting near foreign embassies in Bangkok today as an army push to clear the streets sparked bloody clashes.

Protesters in the Thai capital reinforced their encampment today as government efforts to blockade them overnight led to sporadic violence that killed one man and saw a high-profile Red Shirt military leader shot in the head.

A RENEGADE army general accused of leading a paramilitary force among Thailand’s Red Shirt protesters was shot in the head yesterday, apparently by a sniper, an aide said, after the government warned it would shoot “terrorists”.

A renegade army general backing Thailand’s Red Shirt protesters was shot in the head by a sniper today as the government moved to crack down on an opposition encampment.

Thailand’s army said today it would begin limiting supplies of water, food and electricity to protesters camped in central Bangkok in a bid to clear the streets by midnight.

Thai protesters said today they had accepted a deal to end the violent political crisis that has paralysed central Bangkok for nearly two months.

Thai protesters said today they had accepted a deal to end the violent political crisis that has paralysed central Bangkok for nearly two months.

Thailand’s prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has today offered to hold a new election on November 14 if anti-government protesters accept his reconciliation plan and peace and stability is restored.

Thailand’s prime minister said today that he had no plans to declare martial law despite growing demands for the government to take firmer measures to end protests that have paralysed parts of Bangkok for seven weeks.

A THAI hospital had to evacuate hundreds of patients yesterday after anti-government protesters stormed in to hunt for security forces they suspected were hiding inside.

A Thai hospital had to evacuate hundreds of patients today after anti-government protesters stormed in to hunt for security forces they suspected were hiding inside.

Thailand’s Yellow Shirt activists today demanded military action against anti-government Red Shirt protesters.

Dozens of people were hurt when Thai troops opened fire on anti-government protesters in Bangkok today.

Thai security forces fired bullets in the air today as they faced anti-government protesters on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Thai protesters demanding the dissolution of parliament planned to spread out into more parts of Bangkok today, a day after forcing a shutdown of the capital’s busy elevated train system and escalating weeks of anti-government demonstrations.

Anti-government protesters forced Bangkok’s elevated train system to close during rush hour today as they promised to expand demonstrations that have plunged the Thai capital into chaos.

Troops shut down railway stations in the Thai capital today after anti-government protesters broke into a station and threw tyres on the platform in their campaign for immediate elections.

Leaders of Thailand’s Red Shirt protesters told their followers to lose their signature crimson clothing so they can go undercover in case of a possible government crackdown.

Thailand’s embattled prime minister appeared on television today but offered no initiatives to end the country’s weeks long, sometimes bloody, political crisis a day after rejecting a compromise proposal by protesters occupying central Bangkok.

Guarded hopes rose today that Thailand’s political deadlock, punctuated by increasing hostility and bloody street violence, could be settled peacefully after protesters softened their demand for an immediate change in government.

Bangkok’s main financial district was partially shut today as pro and anti-government protesters faced off following deadly grenade attacks.

Security forces and agitated protesters faced off at a major intersection after bloody grenade attacks rattled Thailand’s chaotic capital – a scene of tense, weeks-long confrontations between die-hard demonstrators and a wavering government.

AT LEAST three people were killed and dozens were injured in a series of explosions near a massive encampment of anti-government protesters in Bangkok yesterday.

Dozens of people were injured in a series of explosions near a massive encampment of anti-government protesters in Bangkok today.

Thai troops armed with assault rifles moved into Bangkok’s central business district today to stop thousands of anti-government protesters who had threatened to march down the capital’s “Wall Street”.