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Thai soldiers open fire on crowd Thai army moves to quell protests
(about 3 hours later)
Thai soldiers have opened fire on a crowd of anti-government protesters in the centre of the capital, Bangkok, who fled before the bullets. The Thai army has fought running battles with protesters in the capital Bangkok in a bid to end days of mass demonstrations and political chaos.
A BBC correspondent witnessed the lunchtime attack which came after a night of tension as troops cleared demonstrators blocking a road junction. A BBC correspondent saw soldiers fire hundreds of live rounds, some into the crowds of protesters, in a bid to clear them from a major road junction.
At least 70 people were injured in the earlier violence close to the landmark Victory Monument. The protesters responded by hurling petrol bombs and driving buses they had commandeered at the lines of troops.
Tear gas and bullets were fired as stones and petrol bombs were thrown. Dozens are reported to have been wounded in the clashes.
The red-shirted protesters - thousands of whom are gathered outside the parliament buildings - have vowed to stay until Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva resigns.
Mr Abhisit, who declared a state of emergency on Sunday, has appealed for calm and says his government is trying to ease the tense situation.
Water cannon
Monday's clashes broke out after the military moved in the early hours to clear around 200 protesters at Din Daeng intersection, around 2km (1.2 miles) from parliament buildings.
Tyres were set alight by the protesters to stop advancing troops
There were hours of skirmishes as demonstrators threw petrol bombs and rocks at lines of troops, who were carrying riot shields and automatic weapons, reports the BBC's Alastair Leithead from the scene.
The soldiers did not break their line until a bus commandeered by the protesters was set alight.
They then moved in with water cannon to put out the flames, and then opened fire with live rounds.
Many soldiers shot above the protesters' heads, but some were clearly firing into the crowd, our correspondent said.
The government will keep working to return peace and order to the country Abhisit Vejjajiva Thai prime minister In pictures: Thai crackdown The government will keep working to return peace and order to the country Abhisit Vejjajiva Thai prime minister In pictures: Thai crackdown
The military suddenly moved forward with a water cannon and a bus was set on fire, the BBC's Alastair Leithead reports. A second round of firing came after a bus was driven by a protester towards the military, before crashing into a motorway barrier.
Then the troops suddenly charged, opening fire with live rounds in the direction of the protesters. Our correspondent said he saw one person with a head injury.
Earlier, a hospital doctor in the city told the BBC News website that 74 people had been brought in, most of them suffering abrasions but some with gunshot wounds.
Monday is the start of a three-day holiday for the Thai New Year and many people have already left the capital for the provinces.Monday is the start of a three-day holiday for the Thai New Year and many people have already left the capital for the provinces.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier declared a state of emergency after the protesters, who mostly back ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra, stopped a major Asian summit in Pattaya. Cancelled summit
A leader of the pro-Thaksin party, the United Front for Democracy, accused the army of using excessive force against the protesters. One of the protest leaders accused the army of using excessive force against the protesters.
"We will stand firm indefinitely," Jakrapob Penkair told BBC World Service."We will stand firm indefinitely," Jakrapob Penkair told BBC World Service.
'Hundreds of rounds' Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva appealed for calm in a televised appeal.
Witnesses told the Associated Press news agency that troops had advanced against the protesters at the the Din Daeng intersection between 0400 and 0500 (2100 and 2200 GMT Sunday). Lines of Thai soldiers have been moving through the capital
Latest from Alastair Leithead on the streets of Bangkok "The government has a tight plan to control the areas which are in trouble and try to ease the situation as soon as possible," he said.
The military suddenly moved forward with a water cannon and a bus was set on fire. And then they suddenly charged, opening fire with live rounds in the direction of the protesters. "If anyone still wants to stage a protest, they are allowed to do that in a peaceful way and without any weapons which is allowed by the constitution".
We watched carefully. Some were firing high, some were firing into the crowd. They scattered the red-shirted protesters down the street. The protests led to the cancellation of a major gathering of Asian leaders in Pattaya at the weekend - causing huge embarrassment to President Abhisit, the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says.
A bus was reversed into the military. The bus driver was injured as they opened fire. We don't know what condition he is in at the moment but the situation has suddenly gone very, very serious, very confrontational, and I would be surprised if people haven't been injured, such was the extent and the concentration of the fire and the angles at which the rifle were pointed. He was filmed on Sunday with the commanders of the army, navy, air force and deputy police chief, saying "the government and security agencies are still unified".
"The soldiers fired hundreds of rounds from their M-16 automatic rifles as they advanced, though it was unclear whether they were firing at, or over, the protesters," the agency says. The protesters are supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who was deposed in a coup in 2006 and now lives in self-imposed exile abroad.
A Bangkok hospital doctor told the BBC News website that 74 people had been brought into hospital, most of them suffering abrasions but some with gunshot wounds. He addressed his supporters by telephone on Sunday, calling for a "revolution".
An army spokesman, Col Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, said about 400 soldiers had moved against some 300 protesters.
He accused protesters of driving a car at the soldiers and said troops had first fired into the air in response to tear gas and smoke bombs thrown at them by protesters.
The soldiers then fired live rounds, he said.
"We will start with soft measures and proceed to harder ones," the army spokesman told AFP news agency.
"We will avoid loss of life as instructed by the government."
Call for calm
Earlier on Sunday, protesters broke into the interior ministry and at one point attacked a car they thought was carrying Prime Minister Abhisit. He was not inside.
The whole capital is a series of riots Paulo, Bangkok Thai emergency: Your emails Send us your comments
They blocked a number of busy road junctions and at least one railway, and took over buses and two armoured vehicles.
The collapse of the summit was a huge embarrassment to Mr Abhisit Vejjajiva and he has vowed to restore order, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok.
He appeared on TV just before midnight, called on the public not to panic and to co-operate to end the crisis.
"In the next three to four days, the government will keep working to return peace and order to the country," he said.
The camera panned to the commanders of the army, navy, air force and deputy police chief as he said:
"I can confirm that the government and security agencies are still unified."
'Time for revolution'
Mr Thaksin, who addresses his supporters by telephone from self-imposed exile abroad, called for a "revolution" on Sunday.
All sides are urging against violence
"Now that they have tanks on the streets, it is time for the people to come out in revolution," he said in a message shown on giant screens near the prime minister's office."Now that they have tanks on the streets, it is time for the people to come out in revolution," he said in a message shown on giant screens near the prime minister's office.
"And when it is necessary, I will come back to the country.""And when it is necessary, I will come back to the country."
Under the state of emergency, gatherings of more than five people can be banned, media reports can be censored and the army can be deployed to help police maintain order.Under the state of emergency, gatherings of more than five people can be banned, media reports can be censored and the army can be deployed to help police maintain order.
Last year, the government imposed a state of emergency on several occasions but the army refused to enact the measures.Last year, the government imposed a state of emergency on several occasions but the army refused to enact the measures.
That crisis eventually led to Mr Abhisit's government taking over from allies of Mr Thaksin.That crisis eventually led to Mr Abhisit's government taking over from allies of Mr Thaksin.
Our correspondent in Bangkok says the problem for Mr Abhisit is that he rode to power on the back of protests that were just as illegal, and may look hypocritical if he only goes after the red-shirted protesters who embarrassed him. The problem for Mr Abhisit is that he came to power in December on the back of protests that were just as illegal, our correspondent says.
He may look hypocritical if he only goes after the red-shirted protesters who embarrassed him.
Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this incident, or have you seen or heard anything? Send your comments or pictures using the form below.Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this incident, or have you seen or heard anything? Send your comments or pictures using the form below.
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