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 beleaguered government insisted it had no plan for an immediate crackdown on protesters despite handing over security operations to the army chief, saying today that too many people are camped in central Bangkok to use force.

Thai troops cleared the wreckage of armoured carriers today as anti-government protesters left the site of last week’s bloody clashes in favour of an up-market shopping district to intensify their campaign to oust the prime minister.