Protesters stand firm on three demands to government; Await outside food supply

BANGKOK, May 15 (TNA) — The number of victims from Friday’s sporadic clashes in central Bangkok between anti-government protesters and the Thai army has soared to 17 persons killed and 164 others wounded, while protesters stand firm on their three-point demand which includes dissolution of the House of Representatives.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister, told a press conference Saturday that the exchanges of gunfire between protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and the army from Friday before noon until evening had left 17 persons killed and 164 wounded.

He said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, also chief of national security, had ordered security officials to be on alert as protesters may attempt to surround and isolate soldiers and police posted in the area and they may mobilise more sympathisers to pressure them.

Troops from the government-installed Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) are still able to control the situation while tensions in several places have eased,  said Mr Panitan.

Persons uninvolved with the protest should not enter the rally sites Saturday because government troops will launch another operation again, Dr Panithan warned.

As the warning was served, Jatuporn Prompan, a top UDD leader, shrugged off the CRES warning on blocking Ratchaprasong intersection to cut off food deliveries, saying that the action would not affect the demonstrators because they have countermeasures.

He said “peace-loving people” would lead foreign journalists into the controlled zone and deliver food supplies to the protesters later in the day.

Condemning Friday’s clashes as possibly leading to civil war, Mr Jatuporn said the unrest could end if Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolved the House and left his post, scrapped the State of Emergency now covering 17 provinces, mainly in the North and Northeast regions and Bangkok, and both the government and leading UDD protesters sit at the negotiating table to find the way out of the political turbulence.

On May 5, Mr Abhisit proposed a five-point national reconciliation plan include a holding of general elections on this November 14. The Red Shirt leaders said they would continue protesting until Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban surrenders to police to face charges for his role in the deadly April 10 crackdown and entered the judicial process.

Meanwhile, the confrontation and clashes between the troops and the protesters continue at Ratchaprasong area as gunfire and grenade explosions were heard continuously since early morning.

The protesters are burning tyres to hide themselves, waiting to retaliate against soldiers who are pressing against the protest site, to contain the protesters and prevent their supporters from joining the protest. (TNA)