Thailand’s government today insisted a crackdown on Red Shirt protesters will continue despite their plea for UN-mediated talks to end four days of street clashes with troops that have left 30 people dead.
A pause by Thai military was unnecessary since troops were “not using weapons to crack down on civilians”, said government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn. The government maintains it is only targeting armed “terrorists” among the demonstrators.
Panitan’s comments dashed hopes of an end to Thailand’s worst political violence in decades.
Thailand is a key US ally and Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.
According to government figures, 59 people have died and more than 1,600 have been wounded since the Red Shirts began their protests in March. The toll includes 30 civilians killed and 232 injured since Thursday in fighting that has turned parts of the city known for its nightlife into an urban war zone.
A towering column of black smoke rose over the city today as protesters facing off with troops set fire to tyres serving as a barricade. Elsewhere, they doused a police traffic post with gasoline and torched it as sporadic gunfire rang out.
The Red Shirts have occupied a 3-square-kilometre protest zone — barricaded by tyres and bamboo spikes — in one of Bangkok’s ritziest areas since mid-March to push their demands for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign immediately, dissolve Parliament and call new elections.
