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 battleground today as the army stormed a barricaded protest camp and the Red Shirt leadership surrendered, enraging demonstrators who fired grenades and started fires that cloaked the skyline in a black haze.

Thousands of defiant anti-government demonstrators have fanned out to other parts of Thailand's capital today, ignoring police orders to end their occupation of Bangkok's paralysed commercial district.

Thousands of anti-government demonstrators, facing threats of arrest, announced today they would end their occupation of the Thai capital’s commercial centre but would continue their protest in another location in the city.

Thousands of anti-government protesters refused to leave the commercial heart of Thailand’s capital today, occupying the area for a second day and defying threats of arrest, vowing to hang on until new elections are called.