Previously at its peak, there were about 10,000 or at least 9,000 protesters a day but since last night when we set up checkpoints around the protest area, you can see number of protesters have dropped to 5,000.
Thai Army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd • Explaining what the army is trying to do to the Red Shirt protesters, who have occupied part of Bangkok. They claim that they’re trying to clear out the fighters, which sounds like it’s effective based on Kaewkamnerd’s estimation, but has had the side effect of fostering violence. The Red Shirts say they won’t give in easily. One thing we should note – the emergency situation is only in about a third of the city; many other parts are getting along somewhat normally. source
Yes, the fighting has gotten that bad. About a month ago on Twitter, we noted the painful irony of Thailand promoting tourism on our site in the wake of the Red Shirts saga. Now it’s reached the point where two major Western nations have basically told its citizens not to go to the city. We hope the best for the country and its deteriorating political situation, but outsiders should heed this call. source
At least four have been killed and 81 more have been wounded as Thai military attempts to seal off an area of Bangkok the Red Shirts have used for camping out.
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Moments after this photo of renegade Gen. Khattiya Sawatdiphol (better known as Seh Daeng) was taken, he was shot in the head. A huge loss for the Red Shirts.
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After two months, they’ve reached a sorta-agreement with the prime minister. But they won’t leave until parliament gets a dissolution date. So much for making things easy.
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The hospital did not hear our apology. They dramatised the evacuation of patients, turning it into a tragedy to paint Red Shirt people as bad. We have been made to look like terrorists and very soon the crackdown will begin.
Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan • Regarding the nature of a hospital freaking out after the Red Shirts raided the hospital, thinking security forces were inside. The hospital, for understandable reasons, evacuated patients. the Red shirts are angry that the hospital embarrassed them, but, let’s wait a second here and get some perspective, THEY RAIDED A FREAKING HOSPITAL. source
They can’t convince the Thai government to push up elections, but since many protesters are rurally-based, they are able to block police from reaching the capital.
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After Saturday, it may not be enough, though. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who’s been feeling lots of pressure of late thanks to the Red Shirts, is considering moving the parliamentary elections up three months in a bid to save his job. Unfortunately for him, the Red Shirts are in no mood to negotiate, after 21 people were killed and hundreds were injured in the violent protests on Saturday. “We don’t negotiate with murderers,” said Red Shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn. “We have to keep fighting.” source