Thai riot police, red shirt protesters face off in Bangkok's business district

BANGKOK, April 23 (Xinhua) --

Hundreds of riot police and thousands of anti-government red shirted protesters faced off Friday morning at a key intersection in Bangkok's business district after Thursday night's blasts in the area where three people were killed and 75 injured.

Police armed with batons and riot shields asked red shirts to clear the barricade which is made up largely of tyres.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said that three people were killed and 75 other people were wounded when attackers shot five M-79 grenades last night.

A series of bomb blasts rocked Bangkok's main financial district of Silom on Thursday night as the red-shirted anti- government protesters were confronting with pro-government groups.

TPBS TV said earlier that a woman died after she was rushed to the Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok.

Among the targets of the series of blasts, the Headquarters of Bangkok Bank, Thailand's largest commercial bank, was hit by a bomb, leaving more than 20 injured, local media reported.

The blast occurred around 09:00 p.m., following three explosions that hit the third floor of Sala Daeng skytrain station, the sky walk and Dusit Thani hotel.

Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman for the Center for the Resolutions of Emergency Situations or CRES confirmed that the explosions were caused by M-79 grenades.

Bangkok Skytrain authority has suspended services of four stations and the Subway authority has suspended services of five stations after the bomb blasts.

Meanwhile, the red-shirted protesters who camped nearby lit at least 10 fireworks to prevent army helicopters from entering the area.

Police have captured six suspects in Silom area and investigation is under way, Nation TV said late Thursday night, hours after the blasts.

However, the red-shirts leaders earlier denied that they have any connection with the blasts.

The anti-government red-shirts started their protest rally in the capital a month ago, demanding Prime Minister Abhisit's resignation and dissolving the lower House of the parliament for new elections.

Editor: Zhang Xiang

Bomb blasts hit Bangkok, at least 5 dead, 100 injured

BANGKOK, April 22, 2010 (Xinhua) --

At least five people died and about 100 others were injured in a series of bomb blasts that hit Bangkok's main financial district of Silom on Thursday night, local media reported.

Earlier, TPBS TV said a woman died after she was rushed to Chulalongkorn Hospital.

Unidentified gunmen fired M-79 grenades from the hospital's fifth floor, witness said.

The Headquarters of Bangkok Bank, Thailand's largest commercial bank, was hit by a bomb, leaving more than 20 injured, local media reported.

The blast occurred around 09:00 p.m., following three explosions that hit the third floor of Sala Daeng skytrain station, the sky walk and Dusit Thani hotel, leaving at least 20 injured within less than an hour.

After that, ambulances siren were frequently heard.

Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman for the Center for the Resolutions of Emergency Situations or CRES confirmed that the explosions were caused by M-79 grenades.

The blasts occurred just minutes after 08:00 p.m., 500 meters from where the multicolored people were confronting with the "red- shirts" protesters at the Sala Daeng Intersection, the Nation news group said.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has summoned a urgent security meeting soon after the explosions.

On North Sathorn road, some two kilometers from the explosion sites, dozens of soldiers with guns are seen patrolling.

Bangkok Skytrain authority has suspended services of four stations and the Subway authority has suspended services of five stations after the bomb blasts.

Meanwhile, the red-shirts protesters who camped nearby lit at least 10 fireworks to prevent army helicopters from entering the area.

On Thursday evening, the Civil Court issued an injunction against the use of force to break up the red-shirt rally at Rajprasong Intersection.

But the court noted that the demonstration affected the public so the government could use internationally-accepted measures to deal with the protesters from lighter to harsher measures.

Sansern Kaewkamnerd spokesman for the Centre for the Resolutions of Emergency Situations or CRES said in a telephone with TPBS TV that the army will not disperse the red-shirts protesters tonight.

"Initial investigation shows that the grenade were fired from the Suan Lum (Night Bazaar) about one km from Silom or near the red-shirts rally site," he said. "It is not the work by the army."

Late Wednesday night, hundreds of Bangkok residents threw things at "red-shirts" protesters, prompting an attack from the protesters, leaving at least 20 injured, including two foreigners.

Editor: yan