Bangkok burns as Thai protest leaders surrender

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.

Using live ammunition, troops dispersed thousands of Red Shirt protesters who had been camped in the capital’s premier shopping and residential district for weeks.

Five protesters and an Italian news photographer were killed in the ensuing gunbattles and about 60 wounded.