Bangkok violence claims 21 lives

ANTI-GOVERNMENT protesters dug into their encampments around Bangkok and rejected talk of negotiations yesterday after a month-long standoff escalated into clashes that killed 21 people in Thailand’s worst political violence in nearly two decades.

Bullet casings, pools of blood and shattered army vehicles littered the streets where soldiers had tried to clear the protesters. At least 874 were injured in what one newspaper called “The Battle for Bangkok.”

Protesters are demanding that the prime minister dissolve Parliament, call early elections and leave the country.

Dozens of foreign governments issued warnings for citizens visiting Thailand, where tourism is a lifeblood industry.

Quiet returned to Bangkok yesterday after hours of fierce fighting on Saturday that erupted when troops tried to clear one of the protest sites and ended when they retreated. But protesters continued to occupy two main bases – one in the capital’s historic district and another along the main shopping boulevard.

Protesters showed off a pile of weapons they had captured from the troops, including rifles and heavy caliber machine-gun rounds.

More than half a dozen military vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, Humvees and a truck, were crippled by the protesters.

Some of the heaviest fighting occurred near the backpacker mecca Khao San road, where protesters came in throngs yesterday to pose for pictures on top of seized army vehicles.

Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said the government’s objective was to avoid more violence and “return the city to normal,” but indicated that there was no clear solution.