Thai authorities said they will intensify efforts to contain anti-government protests in Bangkok, a day after a soldier was killed in the latest clash of a campaign to force early elections.
The ‘red shirt’ supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra remained defiant in their encampment in the capital after skirmishes with Thai troops yesterday on a busy highway in Bangkok's northern suburb wounded 19 people.
Seven weeks of increasingly violent protests and their economic toll on Southeast Asia's second-largest economy are increasing pressure on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to end the crisis that has killed 27 people and paralysed Bangkok.
Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd has said troops are at checkpoints on roads leading into the area would stop people bringing in weapons and might discourage more from going in.
Red shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn has said he expected more protesters to join the mostly rural and urban poor movement seeking to throw the government out.
‘We believe victory is near,’ he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban acknowledged to reporters today that it would be hard to forcibly eject the red shirts because many women and children are among them.
Red shirt leaders have appealed to the European Union to send observers to Bangkok to prevent a violent crackdown in a letter they handed to EU Ambassador David Lipman at his office.
In the letter, they said were open to negotiations.
