Thailand

Soldiers fire shots, 70 injured in Bangkok protests

Article published on the 2009-04-13 Latest update 2009-04-13 11:10 TU

Thai soldiers patrol in downtown Bankok.
(Photo: Reuters)

Thai troops clashed with anti-government protestors in Bangkok on Monday. Soldiers fired warning shots and sent volleys of tear gas at angry demonstrators who hurled petrol-bombs at police. At least 70 people have been injured.

The government said it was taking measures to secure key locations such as ports and airports the day after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency to end the protests aimed at ending his four-month-old administration.

Red-shirted demonstrators, who back ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, charged military lines and hijacked buses as soldiers unleashed automatic rifle fire over their heads.

Abhisit told all peaceful protesters to return home, during a televised address Monday, saying that the government was going to take further action against any demonstrators remaining in the streets.

Clashes lasted all morning culminating in an incident when demonstrators set alight several hijacked buses. When the military moved in to try and extinguish the flames, protestors drove three other buses into their lines, prompting several minutes of automatic gun fire, the AFP reported.

The government confirmed that 70 people, including 23 soldiers, had been injured, but denied reports on a radio set up by the protestors that 4 deaths had occurred.