UDD claims at least 6 killed

Troops battled with the red shirt protesters in the early morning of Monday on the streets of Bangkok.

Bangkok Post and The Nation

Published: 13/04/2009

At least 77 were injured as troops, firing tear gas and shots into the air, moved in to retake the Din Daeng intersection near Victory Monument from protesters.

A speaker told the red-shirts’ gathering at the main rally site at Government House on Monday morning he believed at least six of protesters had died as a result of the crackdown by troops at the Din Daeng intersection.

The D-Station satellite channel of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) broadcast the rally. He claimed a military truck was seen carrying the dead bodies away so that no-one would see them.

Another speaker who claimed to be a Buddhist monk and said he witnessed the crackdown said there was a monk among the dead.

Their claims could not be confirmed.

Another speaker slammed the media for reporting there were no fatalities. Speakers claimed the protest was nation-wide.

The military denied having fired shots at red-shirt protestors

Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said an INN report that troops had fired directly at protesters blocking an intersection at Din Daeng was not correct.

The soldiers had fired up into the air when protesters drove a hijacked bus at their ranks about 4am, Col Sansern said.

The driver had refused to stop and then ''all hell broke loose'', he added.

More roads were blocked with buses and LPG tanker trucks.

INN news agency reported that the red-shirted protesters have blocked the Sri Ayutthaya intersection with a number of public buses. They also poured gasoline on the buses and threatened to set fire on them, INN News radio reported.

About 6.40am the remaining red shirts parked two ten-wheeled trucks carrying liquified petroleum gas across the inbound Din Daeng road to prevent the troops clearing them out. The presence of the gas trucks caused fear among Din Daeng residents. One LPG tanker was parked immediately outside an apartment building.

An INN radio correspondent reported that two gas trucks had been hijacked. One tankers had a full load of LPG, but the other was empty. Stacks of car tyres placed near one LPG tanker were set on fire and protesters threatened the troops by briefly opening the tank valve.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) dispatched fire engines to the scene to spray water and prevent a possible fire.

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) announced it would stop operating bus services in inner Bangkok for safety reasons.

Train passengers leaving the city were required to board their trains at Bang Sue and Makkasan stations instead, of the Hua Lumphong main station after part of the track in the Yomaraj area was blocked by protesters.

Although the track was later unblocked, the State Railway of Thailand said it was worried about allowing trains to enter and leave Hua Lumphong. Bang Sue station was being used for passengers heading to the North and Northeast, and Makkasan station for south-bound passengers.

Security at Suvarnabhumi airport was tightened as authorities feared a repeat of last year's occupation by supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy.

Other areas reportedly blocked by the red-shirts included Victory Monument and Ratchadamnoen Nok avenue, but there were no reports of violence there so far.

Media pressured to retreat from protest sites

Media members covering the red-shirt protest at Government House and the Royal Plaza were forced to leave the protest area, with United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leaders saying theycouldnot ensure their safety, INN news reported.

UDD leaders Jatuporn Prompan and Nattawut Saikua accused the media of showing bias against the red-shirted protesters in their stories.

Reporters withdrew from the immediate area, basing themselves a small distance away. They tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with the protesters.

A TNN channel correspondent reported from Government House that Mr Jatuporn said the UDD leaders understood the media's need to report, yet could not guarantee their safety because the protesters were rather angry at them.

A Channel 11 correspondent reported from Democrat party headquarters that reporters there had stopped wearing their press credentials to avoid a possible attack by the protesters.

INN News radio reported that Democrat headquarters were now guarded by police, with trucks barring the road to protesters. A couple of fire engines were also in place because of a report the red shirts were heading there with a gas container truck.