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.

At least 22 people have been killed and 27 others injured when a bus packed with university students and teachers crashed in eastern Thailand.

TRADE ministers in Asia-Pacific countries are to endorse an emergency SARS recovery plan, as China reported no deaths for the first time in seven weeks.