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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Warrants for Thai protest leaders | Warrants for Thai protest leaders |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Thai authorities have issued arrest warrants for 13 protest leaders and the man the protesters support, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. | Thai authorities have issued arrest warrants for 13 protest leaders and the man the protesters support, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. |
| The group had been charged with inciting a public disturbance and illegal assembly, the warrant said. | The group had been charged with inciting a public disturbance and illegal assembly, the warrant said. |
| The protests have shut down large parts of the capital, Bangkok, for the last three weeks. Clashes on Monday left two people dead and dozens of others hurt. | The protests have shut down large parts of the capital, Bangkok, for the last three weeks. Clashes on Monday left two people dead and dozens of others hurt. |
| But on Tuesday, as troops massed, the protesters called off their action. | But on Tuesday, as troops massed, the protesters called off their action. |
| Overnight the army hemmed in several thousand activists around Government House. | Overnight the army hemmed in several thousand activists around Government House. |
| More soldiers then moved in, prompting the protest leaders to call on their remaining followers to go home to avoid further bloodshed. | More soldiers then moved in, prompting the protest leaders to call on their remaining followers to go home to avoid further bloodshed. |
| I'm sad we've not received justice but if we'd have stayed we would have been in danger Kannika SaikaewProtester Giving up and going home class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/7998772.stm"> Thai protests: Your reaction | |
| The protesters support former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in a 2006 coup. | The protesters support former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in a 2006 coup. |
| They want the current government, under Prime Minster Abhisit Vejjajiva, to step down and fresh elections to be called. | They want the current government, under Prime Minster Abhisit Vejjajiva, to step down and fresh elections to be called. |
| Mr Thaksin has been living in overseas exile for much of the last three years. Last year a Thai court convicted him in absentia of corruption. | Mr Thaksin has been living in overseas exile for much of the last three years. Last year a Thai court convicted him in absentia of corruption. |
| On Sunday he called for a "revolution"; on Monday he told the BBC he meant a "peaceful revolution". | On Sunday he called for a "revolution"; on Monday he told the BBC he meant a "peaceful revolution". |
| 'To save lives' | 'To save lives' |
| The Thai court named the ousted prime minister in its warrant. | The Thai court named the ousted prime minister in its warrant. |
| "Thaksin and his allies were charged by the court for illegal assembly of more than 10 people, threatening acts of violence and breach of the peace," the warrant said. | "Thaksin and his allies were charged by the court for illegal assembly of more than 10 people, threatening acts of violence and breach of the peace," the warrant said. |
| The charges were punishable by five years in jail, it added. Four of those named have already turned themselves into police. | The charges were punishable by five years in jail, it added. Four of those named have already turned themselves into police. |
| The warrants were issued shortly after protest leaders called an end to the stand-off. | The warrants were issued shortly after protest leaders called an end to the stand-off. |
| FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service | FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service |
| Speaking to the BBC from hiding, protest leader Jakrapap Penkair called the retreat "an honourable decision to save lives", but vowed that the movement would continue. | Speaking to the BBC from hiding, protest leader Jakrapap Penkair called the retreat "an honourable decision to save lives", but vowed that the movement would continue. |
| Last week the protests forced the cancellation of an Asian summit, as crowds of demonstrators swarmed the summit venue. | Last week the protests forced the cancellation of an Asian summit, as crowds of demonstrators swarmed the summit venue. |
| Clashes then erupted in Bangkok, culminating in a day of violence on Monday that left more than 120 people injured. | Clashes then erupted in Bangkok, culminating in a day of violence on Monday that left more than 120 people injured. |
| Troops fought running battles with protesters, who hurled petrol bombs and drove commandeered buses at them. Soldiers responded with live rounds, something the armed forces' chief stressed was in self-defence. | Troops fought running battles with protesters, who hurled petrol bombs and drove commandeered buses at them. Soldiers responded with live rounds, something the armed forces' chief stressed was in self-defence. |
| PM Abhisit welcomed the end of the protests, but said that his government would remain on guard. | PM Abhisit welcomed the end of the protests, but said that his government would remain on guard. |
| "The operation under the state of emergency is not over," he said. "There are still things to do. I insist the government will not be negligent because we have to remain vigilant." | "The operation under the state of emergency is not over," he said. "There are still things to do. I insist the government will not be negligent because we have to remain vigilant." |
| Thailand remains deeply divided, with little consensus over who should govern, reports the BBC's Jonathan Head, from Bangkok. | Thailand remains deeply divided, with little consensus over who should govern, reports the BBC's Jonathan Head, from Bangkok. |
| Society is split between the urban and rural poor who support Mr Thaksin, and his foes in the traditional power cliques of the military and bureaucracy. | Society is split between the urban and rural poor who support Mr Thaksin, and his foes in the traditional power cliques of the military and bureaucracy. |
| Mr Thaksin's allies won the election that followed the 2006 coup, but a court then ruled that the government was illegal, leaving Mr Abhisit - then the opposition leader - in a position to form a governing coalition. | Mr Thaksin's allies won the election that followed the 2006 coup, but a court then ruled that the government was illegal, leaving Mr Abhisit - then the opposition leader - in a position to form a governing coalition. |
| The prime minister was helped into power by another group of protesters who shut down the main international airport for a week. None of those protesters have been detained or put on trial. | The prime minister was helped into power by another group of protesters who shut down the main international airport for a week. None of those protesters have been detained or put on trial. |
| How Mr Abhisit deals with both groups of protesters will be seen by many here as a test of his pledge to uphold the law equally for all Thais, our correspondent says. | How Mr Abhisit deals with both groups of protesters will be seen by many here as a test of his pledge to uphold the law equally for all Thais, our correspondent says. |