Thai police fire tear gas to disperse demonstrators; 118 injured
Written by Writer on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
Thai police fire tear gas to disperse demonstrators; 118 injured
By SUTIN WANNABOVORN, AP
BANGKOK, Thailand –– Thai riot police clashed Tuesday with thousands of protesters who b
arricaded Parliament and vowed to block the government from leaving, a bold new tactic that intensified a six-week political crisis.
More than 100 people were wounded including two protesters who had parts of their legs blown off by what police said was exploding tear gas canisters.
The chaos prompted Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to resign and resulted in new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat sneaking out of the Parliament to avoid being spotted by angry protesters demanding his resignation.
Protesters led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy have occupied the grounds of the prime minister’s office since late August. They expanded their protest overnight by marching to the nearby Parliament, and erected barbed wire and tire barricades to block Somchai from delivering his first policy speech to lawmakers.
Riot police moved in after sunrise and fired multiple rounds of tear gas canisters to clear a path for the government and lawmakers.
Somchai opened the parliamentary session after a 90-minute delay but as he spoke chaos escalated outside the building. Anti-government protesters regrouped and barricaded all four entrances to the Parliament, saying their goal was to block top officials from leaving the building.
Police fired more tear gas canisters to disperse a group of demonstrators armed with wooden batons and slingshots, who were throwing firecrackers at police. The opposition Democracy Party boycotted the speech.
After the parliamentary session ended, lawmakers said they were too afraid to leave the building.
“We are under siege now,” said Kuthep Saikrajang, a spokesman of the ruling People’s Power Party, speaking by mobile phone from inside Parliament. “But we will have to figure out a way to get out without using force.”
Hundreds of lawmakers waited inside the lobby of the Parliament, monitoring the chaos outside.
It was unclear how Somchai evacuated the building, but he arrived by helicopter later in the day at the Supreme Command Headquarters to meet with army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda and Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niempradit.
Earlier in the day, spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the army was “concerned” about the violence against unarmed protesters and that any serious injuries should be investigated. He dismissed speculation of a military intervention to end the unrest in Thailand, where the military has staged 18 coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.
“Victory is near. We are surrounding the building,” one of the protest leaders Somsak Kosaisuk told a cheering crowd outside Parliament, where protesters had chained one of the gates shut.
The unrest was the latest twist in a political crisis that has gripped Thailand for six weeks and virtually paralyzed the government.
The clashes wounded 118 people, including 24 seriously, said Petpong Kumtonkitjakarn of the Erawan Medical Center.
