This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8003531.stm
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Thai 'yellow shirt' leader shot | Thai 'yellow shirt' leader shot |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The leader of Thailand's yellow-shirted protest movement has been shot and hurt in an apparent assassination attempt. | The leader of Thailand's yellow-shirted protest movement has been shot and hurt in an apparent assassination attempt. |
| Sondhi Limthongkul's People's Alliance for Democracy helped oust ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006 and brought down a pro-Thaksin government last year. | Sondhi Limthongkul's People's Alliance for Democracy helped oust ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006 and brought down a pro-Thaksin government last year. |
| Mr Sondhi was ambushed by gunmen who attacked his car in the Thai capital, Bangkok, spraying it with bullets and hitting him in the skull. | Mr Sondhi was ambushed by gunmen who attacked his car in the Thai capital, Bangkok, spraying it with bullets and hitting him in the skull. |
| Doctors said he was in a stable condition following surgery. | Doctors said he was in a stable condition following surgery. |
| Mr Sondhi's driver was said to be in a serious condition, while an aide suffered minor injuries. | Mr Sondhi's driver was said to be in a serious condition, while an aide suffered minor injuries. |
| Sondhi Limthongkul opposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra | Sondhi Limthongkul opposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra |
| The attack comes just days after protests by the yellow-shirts' sworn enemies, the pro-Thaksin red-shirts, came to an end. | The attack comes just days after protests by the yellow-shirts' sworn enemies, the pro-Thaksin red-shirts, came to an end. |
| The red-shirts held large rallies in the streets of Bangkok, forcing the cancellation of a high-profile Asian summit and clashing with security forces and local residents. Two people died in the violence. | The red-shirts held large rallies in the streets of Bangkok, forcing the cancellation of a high-profile Asian summit and clashing with security forces and local residents. Two people died in the violence. |
| But so far it is unclear who was behind the attack on Mr Sondhi. | But so far it is unclear who was behind the attack on Mr Sondhi. |
| The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Bangkok says the media mogul and businessman has many enemies - among the red-shirts, but also in the police, the army and the current government. | |
| The attack will increase tension between reds and yellows and lead to greater factionalism in an already deeply divided country, our correspondent says. | The attack will increase tension between reds and yellows and lead to greater factionalism in an already deeply divided country, our correspondent says. |
| Angry protesters | Angry protesters |
| The attack on Mr Sondhi came at dawn on Friday, as he was travelling to record a programme at his television station. | The attack on Mr Sondhi came at dawn on Friday, as he was travelling to record a programme at his television station. |
| "At least two attackers followed Sondhi's car, overtook it and sprayed it with about 100 rounds of gunfire from AK-47 and M-16s," said local police commander Colonel King Kwaengwisatchaicharn, adding that an investigation was under way. | "At least two attackers followed Sondhi's car, overtook it and sprayed it with about 100 rounds of gunfire from AK-47 and M-16s," said local police commander Colonel King Kwaengwisatchaicharn, adding that an investigation was under way. |
| We have to make sure peace and order truly returns Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7998243.stm"> No winners in Thai crisis href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7584005.stm"> Q&A: Thailand protests | |
| In the wake of the attack, security was increased around the current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is working out of an undisclosed location because of fears for his safety. | In the wake of the attack, security was increased around the current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is working out of an undisclosed location because of fears for his safety. |
| Mr Vejjajiva said a state of emergency imposed on Sunday due to the red-shirted protesters in Bangkok would remain in place. "We have to make sure peace and order truly returns," he said. | |
| The largely peaceful demonstrations that paralysed parts of Bangkok turned violent earlier this week; two people died and more than 100 others were injured. | The largely peaceful demonstrations that paralysed parts of Bangkok turned violent earlier this week; two people died and more than 100 others were injured. |
| Protest leaders called off the action amid a major military crackdown to quell the riots. | Protest leaders called off the action amid a major military crackdown to quell the riots. |
| The red shirts took to the streets demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit step down, and fresh elections to be held. | The red shirts took to the streets demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit step down, and fresh elections to be held. |
| They say that he was illegally installed by parliament in December after courts ousted the government led by Mr Thaksin's allies, and dissolved their parties. | They say that he was illegally installed by parliament in December after courts ousted the government led by Mr Thaksin's allies, and dissolved their parties. |
| The red shirts have expressed anger over the detention of several protest leaders in recent days, while Mr Sondhi and his allies were never prosecuted for their political action. | The red shirts have expressed anger over the detention of several protest leaders in recent days, while Mr Sondhi and his allies were never prosecuted for their political action. |
| Last year, the yellow shirts occupied Government House for three months and seized Bangkok's two airports for a week, stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers. | Last year, the yellow shirts occupied Government House for three months and seized Bangkok's two airports for a week, stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers. |
| Meanwhile, Mr Thaksin - who has been calling for a popular uprising against the government - has appealed to the widely-revered Thai king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, to intervene to end the country's political crisis. | Meanwhile, Mr Thaksin - who has been calling for a popular uprising against the government - has appealed to the widely-revered Thai king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, to intervene to end the country's political crisis. |
| Thailand annulled Mr Thaksin's passport after his supporters forced the cancellation of a high-profile Asian summit last weekend. | Thailand annulled Mr Thaksin's passport after his supporters forced the cancellation of a high-profile Asian summit last weekend. |
| Mr Thaksin faces two years in jail if he returns to Thailand, after being sentenced in absentia for abuses of power when he was in office. | Mr Thaksin faces two years in jail if he returns to Thailand, after being sentenced in absentia for abuses of power when he was in office. |