Soldiers fire warning shots to clear protesters from key Rama IV Road

BANGKOK, May 14 (TNA) – Troops fired warning shots as they moved against red-shirted protesters to clear them from a key business and cross-capital thoroughfare early Friday afternoon, but some protesters set fire to an empty police bus while retreating from the area.

A company of soldiers armed with M16 rifles confronted the reds at the Wireless Road-Rama IV Road intersection, while dozens of soldiers moved in to the Thai-Belgium flyover to prevent protesters from destroying a vandalised firetruck parked near the intersection.

Sporadic gunfire has been heard while the anti-government protesters were squeezed in near the Suan Lum (Lumpini) Night Bazaar, later retreating into Sarasin intersection but not before setting fire to an empty police bus.

Some protesters later burned tyres on Rama IV Road causing thick black smoke billowing to the sky. The standoff continues after 1pm with troops positioned at the entrance to Suan Lum Night Bazaar, a shopping area much frequented by tourists, confronting some protesters standing 300 metres away.

Soliders fired several shots at times to prevent possible attack from the protesters and pressuring them to retreat toward the Sarasin-Wireless Road intersection.

Meanwhile, two columns of soldiers armed with shields began pushing back some protesters from Ratchaprarob to their Ratchaprasong protest site after they had dismantled barricades set up by soldiers.

Government security forces urged shoppers and vendors at Pratunam Market to evacuate the area.

Meanwhile, The Red Shirt leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) demanded Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva must be held responsible for Thursday night violence which left one dead and several others injured.

Natthawut Saikua, a UDD co-leader, accused the government of being behind the shooting of Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, an army specialist, alias Seh Daeng, a hard-line and high-profile member of the red shirts. However, the government and the army denied the accusation.

Dr Weng Tojirakarn, another UDD co-leader, said the Reds would bring relatives of the dead and those injured in April 10 clashes between security forces and protesters to file a complaint against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban for ording a bloody crackdown which left 25 dead and almost 1,000 injured. (TNA)