Thailand descends into chaos

Thailand descends into chaos
By Tim Johnston in Bangkok
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Published: April 12 2009 09:42 | Last updated: April 13 2009 19:39
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7f4c2454-273c-11de-9b77-00144feabdc0.html


Thailand’s political crisis descended into chaos on Monday as anti-government protesters and the military fought dramatic battles on the streets of Bangkok that left at least two dead and almost 100 injured.

The government on Monday night claimed to have regained control of the Thai capital’s streets. But some 4,000 protesters remained around the prime minister’s office in central Bangkok, surrounded by security forces.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, who declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas on Sunday, said in a nationally televised address that the military had been using as little force as possible.

“All the work I am doing is not to create fear or put pressure or to harm any group of people. It’s a step-by-step process to restore order and stop violence,” he said.

But protesters, who have been calling for Mr Abhisit’s resignation, said they were worried about what the security forces would do to move them off the streets after a day in which troops were accused of firing live rounds into crowds throwing rocks and firebombs.

“We are so afraid. We think they are going to come in and clear us out with bullets,” said Somchit Likhittaworn, a university lecturer who was in the middle of the demonstration. She said she and her friends were frightened to leave because they had heard that gangs of government supporters were roving around outside the perimeter.

The scenes on the streets drew international calls for an end to the crisis.

The US State Department said Washington condemned the “unacceptable violence” of the protests. The European Union expressed “great concern”.

The EU’s Czech presidency called for “protesters to refrain from further violent action in the street”, which it said could only deepen tensions and harm the country’s stability.

The clashes came two days after red-shirted anti-government protesters forced the cancellation of a high-profile Asian summit in an embarrassment for the Oxford-educated Mr Abhisit, who took office in December.

Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s, which already have a negative outlook on Thailand’s sovereign ratings, said the renewed unrest increased the risk of a downgrade.

The street battles began after security forces moved to clear protesters from a big intersection in central Bangkok that they had blocked with burning tyres.

Dozens were injured. The authorities took control of the intersection, but the protesters moved into surrounding streets, from where they threw petrol bombs and taunted soldiers.

They also rigged a driverless bus to run into the lines of troops, but caused no casualties.

Soldiers responded by firing at the protesters. The authorities say they used blank ammunition but the protesters have insisted they were live rounds.

There were other clashes outside the foreign ministry, where the protesters burnt a bus.

Government and hospital authorities last night said two men had been killed during the protests, after being shot in clashes between demonstrators and local residents.

The government and emergency services said almost 100 people had been injured, including 23 soldiers.

Additional reporting by Daniel Dombey in Washington and agencies in Bangkok