Troops, protesters clash on highway Soldier shot dead, 19 people injured
Security authorities have ordered Bangkok police to close all roads around the red shirt rally site as of last night to increase the pressure on the anti-government group.
Red shirt protesters run towards government forces before the two sides clash. SAROT MEKSOPHAWANNAKUL
Sources said the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation imposed the order to block the movement of red shirt supporters going in and out of the site which is spread over a vast area from Phong Phraram west of Mahboonkrong to Asok/Phetchaburi in the east, and down Sathon to Narathiwat Ratchanakarin.
No mention was made of trying to stop essential supplies, only people and weapons, the source said.
Traffic is closed at the Asok-Montree, Phayathai, Sala Daeng, Phong Phraram, Narathiwat and Henri Dunant intersections, isolating the red shirt demonstrators scattered around the Ratchaprasong intersection, the centre said.
Reinforcements of troops and police have been sent to the Sala Daeng intersection. Businesses and offices in the area have been advised to close early.
Efforts to contain the red shirts were stepped up by the CRES soon after a tense four-hour stand-off between protesters and security forces on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road near the National Memorial in Lum Luk Ka district in Pathum Thani.
The centre said one soldier was shot dead. Another two soldiers and 17 protesters were injured in skirmishes.
The dead soldier was identified as Pvt Narongrit Sala of the 9th Infantry Division based in Kanchanaburi, who was accidentally shot in the head by another soldier while riding a motorcycle towards the National Memorial during the clashes, the source said. He was one of the members of the army's rapid deployment force.
A large contingent of army and air force soldiers and police were spread around the air force base, about 2kms from the National Memorial to block swarms of motorcycles and pickup trucks with 2,000 red shirt demonstrators heading to Talad Thai market in Pathum Thani's Rangsit district.
Kwanchai Praipana, a leading member of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship from Udon Thani, led the protesters who were seeking to counter government propaganda of a red shirt anti-monarchy movement and boost the morale of other demonstrators thrown out of the market on Monday.
Tension soared as security forces fired warning shots of rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to turn back the red shirt swarm. Live bullets were also used in the crackdown. The protesters fought back with stones and sticks and launched home-made bamboo rockets.
Mr Kwanchai, one of 24 red shirt leaders facing arrest for defying the emergency rule, managed to flee to safety. He went back to the Ratchaprasong site.
From : Bangkok POst
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