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| Tear gas fired at mass Thai rally | Tear gas fired at mass Thai rally |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police in Thailand have fired tear gas to disperse a demonstration by thousands of anti-government protesters in Bangkok. | Police in Thailand have fired tear gas to disperse a demonstration by thousands of anti-government protesters in Bangkok. |
| Dozens of people were injured as police intervened in the dawn protest in front of parliament. | Dozens of people were injured as police intervened in the dawn protest in front of parliament. |
| The clashes came just hours before new PM Somchai Wongsawat was to deliver a key policy statement. | The clashes came just hours before new PM Somchai Wongsawat was to deliver a key policy statement. |
| The protesters say he is a proxy for ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and want the government to resign. | The protesters say he is a proxy for ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and want the government to resign. |
| The political crisis has gripped the country for about six weeks. | The political crisis has gripped the country for about six weeks. |
| Regrouped | Regrouped |
| Dozens of people were reportedly injured in the protest. | Dozens of people were reportedly injured in the protest. |
| Petpong Kumtonkitjakarn, from the Erawan Medical Centre, told Associated Press two were seriously hurt. "One of them lost his leg, another was hit with shrapnel in the chest." | Petpong Kumtonkitjakarn, from the Erawan Medical Centre, told Associated Press two were seriously hurt. "One of them lost his leg, another was hit with shrapnel in the chest." |
| Somchai Wongsawat is a softly spoken former judge | Somchai Wongsawat is a softly spoken former judge |
| Television showed protesters trying to build tyre barricades outside parliament. | Television showed protesters trying to build tyre barricades outside parliament. |
| Maj Gen Anan Srihiran told Reuters: "It was absolutely necessary for police to use tear gas to break up the crowd. | Maj Gen Anan Srihiran told Reuters: "It was absolutely necessary for police to use tear gas to break up the crowd. |
| "We only wanted to open up a road for the cabinet to enter parliament. We will not do anything else to the protesters for the rest of the day." | "We only wanted to open up a road for the cabinet to enter parliament. We will not do anything else to the protesters for the rest of the day." |
| The protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) regrouped outside the building. | The protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) regrouped outside the building. |
| They had marched to parliament late on Monday to try to seal off the building. | They had marched to parliament late on Monday to try to seal off the building. |
| The alliance says the government must resign because of its links to Mr Thaksin, who lives in exile. It accuses him of corruption. | The alliance says the government must resign because of its links to Mr Thaksin, who lives in exile. It accuses him of corruption. |
| Protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul said this was the "final battle". | Protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul said this was the "final battle". |
| Mr Somchai insisted the address would go ahead. | Mr Somchai insisted the address would go ahead. |
| "It is not right for the PAD to obstruct the representatives of the people," he said. | "It is not right for the PAD to obstruct the representatives of the people," he said. |
| The alliance turned its attention on Mr Somchai after he replaced Samak Sundaravej, who was dismissed on a conflict of interest charge. | The alliance turned its attention on Mr Somchai after he replaced Samak Sundaravej, who was dismissed on a conflict of interest charge. |
| The protesters want to replace one-man, one-vote with a system that has some representatives chosen by professions and social groups. | |
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