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Fatal car bomb in central Bangkok Troops confront Bangkok protests
(40 minutes later)
A suspected car bomb has killed a woman in Bangkok, as tensions rise over a long-standing political crisis. Troops have been deployed on the streets of the Thai capital Bangkok after police failed for a second time to disperse anti-government protesters.
The device went off near where dozens of people were earlier injured in clashes between police and protesters. It is unclear if they were related. Protesters have been gathered outside the parliament building trying to stop the Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, from leaving.
The situation remains tense, and shots have reportedly been fired at police outside the parliament building. Mr Somchai has been holding emergency talks with military commanders on how to resolve the stand-off.
Meanwhile the protesters have regrouped and are thought to be trying to prevent some lawmakers leaving parliament. Earlier, a woman died when a suspected car bomb exploded near the parliament.
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat reportedly managed to leave by climbing through a barbed wire fence at the back of the building, before being flown to safety. The protesters are from the staunchly royalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
The protesters accuse Mr Somchai and his recently ousted predecessor, Samak Sundaravej, of just being proxies for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. The BBC's Jonathan Head, in Bangkok, says the appearance of troops outside parliament is a clear sign that the government is struggling to maintain its authority.
They are members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a group that wants to replace the one-man, one-vote system with a system in which some of representatives are chosen by professions and social groups rather than the general electorate. Mr Somchai reportedly managed to leave the parliament building by climbing through a barbed wire fence at the back of the building, before being flown to safety.
The protesters accuse him and his recently ousted predecessor, Samak Sundaravej, of just being proxies for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The demonstrators are members of the PAD, a group that wants to replace the one-man, one-vote system with one in which some representatives are chosen by professions and social groups rather than the general electorate.
Mr Thaksin, Mr Somchai's brother-in-law, was forced from office in a military coup in 2006.Mr Thaksin, Mr Somchai's brother-in-law, was forced from office in a military coup in 2006.
Deputy PM quitsDeputy PM quits
The protesters have been occupying the grounds of government buildings for six weeks, but until Tuesday the demonstration had so far been largely peaceful. The protesters have been occupying the grounds of government buildings for six weeks, but until Tuesday the demonstration had been largely peaceful.
Deputy PM Chavalit said he would resign because of the clashesSeveral thousand PAD protesters broke out of the compound where they had been staying and marched to the parliament late on Monday. Deputy PM Chavalit said he would resign because of the clashes Several thousand PAD protesters broke out of the compound where they had been staying and marched to the parliament late on Monday.
They tried to seal off the building by putting up barriers of old tyres and barbed wire.They tried to seal off the building by putting up barriers of old tyres and barbed wire.
The police responded with teargas, injuring more than 100 people. Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said he was resigning over the clashes.The police responded with teargas, injuring more than 100 people. Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said he was resigning over the clashes.
The protesters have now regrouped; they've locked some lawmakers inside the building and cut off their power supply. The protesters have now regrouped - they have locked some lawmakers inside the building and cut off their power supply.
The new government says it wants to start negotiations with the PAD, but it is also pushing ahead with controversial plans to amend the constitution, a key grievance of the protesters who see it as part of a plan to rehabilitate Mr Thaksin.The new government says it wants to start negotiations with the PAD, but it is also pushing ahead with controversial plans to amend the constitution, a key grievance of the protesters who see it as part of a plan to rehabilitate Mr Thaksin.
The alliance says the government must resign because of its links to Mr Thaksin, who lives in the UK and has requested political asylum there.The alliance says the government must resign because of its links to Mr Thaksin, who lives in the UK and has requested political asylum there.
It accuses him of corruption and abuse of power while he was in office, and has also suggested that Mr Thaksin and his allies have a hidden republican agenda, a serious charge at a time when the country is beset by anxiety over the future of the monarchy.It accuses him of corruption and abuse of power while he was in office, and has also suggested that Mr Thaksin and his allies have a hidden republican agenda, a serious charge at a time when the country is beset by anxiety over the future of the monarchy.
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