'Govt must stop civil confrontation'

Tension remains very high in Bangkok, with retreating protesters running amok  in some areas following troops' success in retaking the Victory Monument area in the morning. Protesters have burned several buses and public vehicles. Following is our live report. Please refresh the page regularly to see the updates:

11.30 pm: Calls are being made for the government to do its utmost to prevent or contain civil confrontation, following incidents at the Nang Lerng Market where two men have been killed in a clash between residents and red-shirted protesters.

TV commentators said the government must make it a priority to pre-empt confrontation, because, unlike well-trained security forces who have greater immunity against provocation, ordinary citizens who are afraid, paranoid or angry can resort to dangerous measures that can send things spiralling out of control.

11.00pm: PM Abhisit Vejjajiva appears in a press conference on TV pool programme with key officials. He reports that the government has tried to do its best according to the procedured and most areas are under control except the main rally site near the Government House. He expresses his sadness on the Nang Lerng incident.

10.40pm: More details are revealed on Channel 3's "Kow Sam Miti" (Three-dimensional news) on the shooting at Nang Lerng Market and the second victim known as Yutthakarn Joichoychod, 18, has been pronounced dead. According to eyewitnesses, the Nang Lerng residents negotiated with the red-shirted protesters to remove a bus as they fear for their safety. They successfully pushed the bus away from the area but shortly after that, a number of motorcycles roamed the street and shots were fired at the residents. Apart from Pom Pholphanbua, 50, who died on the way to the hospital; Yutthakarn died at the Central Hospital later and another lady was severely injured from bullet wound on her foot. 

9.30 pm: Details of the Nang Lerng Market shooting remains sketchy. Apparently, the victim was shot during a confrontation between Nang Lerng residents and some red-shirted protesters who allegedly caused fears that they might set fire to the market.

Earlier, many vendors have helped troops confront protesters who were armed with a lot of molotov cocktails. The residents booed the protesters and cheered the troops, according to the Manager website. The website said up to 10 people may have been injured in the shooting. It said several protesters were armed with guns.

The website said the protesters claimed they were intimidated by the presence of hostile Nang Lerng residents.

8.40pm: Red-shirted protesters entered Nang Lerng Market Monday evening and pushed the vendors outside. PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtoey tells NBT channel that three were injured and one guy named Pom aged 54 years old have died at the hospital after being shot by redshirted protesters, according to eye-witnesses who phoned Satit.

There have been fears the protesters would set fire to the market. Increasing red-shirted aggression has prompted reports about tension with residents in certain areas. In certain spots, residents have reportedly formed groups to boo protesters or confront them.

6.30pm: Narenthorn Emergency Centre's director Chatree Charoenchivakul in his interview with Thai PBS denies the rumour of death caused by the crackdown. "We are doctors and we have medical ethics. We'll certainly report the death if there is any." He says that the latest report shows 94 people injured of which 24 are in serious conditions. The injured people are both civilians and military officers and they are treated equally.

5.50 pm: Gunshots have been heard for around 10 minutes around the Army headquarters. Initial TV reports say it might be the result of a clash between red-shirted protesters and some people angry at their aggression. No injury is immediately reported.

5.45pm: Troops take control of the Royal Plaza area and there is no report of casualty. However,NBT reports that there are still a number of protesters left near the Education Ministry. The TV report says there is a sign of fire near the ministry and the officers now deploy force to investigate.

5.30pm : Audience in Khon Kaen and around 10 provinces in the upper Northeast are unable to watch news report on NBT channel as the red-shirted group demanded the station to cease broadcasting. After the rally in front of the station, the protesters are reportedly moving to block part of the Mitaparb Road and traffic has started to be congested.

4.35pm : Army Spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd dismissed reports that soldiers who dispersed the red shrits in many areas used live bullets and have killed many protesters.

In a live broadcast, Sansern said the soldiers used blank bullets and fired into the air as warning shots.

"Reporters and camera men who accompanied the troops are our witnesses to prove that we used only blank bullets on the protesters. We also used practise bullets which created loud noise. The protesters distorted these, claiming that the soldiers fired live bullets and killed many protesters," he said.

He insisted that no one was killed during the crackdown.

4.20pm : Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn says the authorities manage to clear red shirted protesters from many areas on Monday afternoon, resulting in resuming of traffic near Victory Monument and nearby roads.

All roads from the Foreign Ministry to Phaya Thai intersection and to Victory Monument were now safe for motorists and people.

However the authorities have still tried to disperse the red shirts rallying near Yommarat express toll and Manangkasila Residence.

3.30 pm: Supreme Commander Songkitti Jakkrabat, head of the committee enforcing the state of emergency, goes on TV to reiterate that the operation to retake key traffic areas has been carried out with all democratic principles respected.

"We base our operation on the principles that everyone is Thai who has right to gather in peace without infringing on rights of others. We will never hurt Thai citizens but we reserve the rights to self-defence," he told a TV address.

According to Songkitti, people coming back from Songkran retreat could face inconvenience as road blocks and searches will be required to make sure no weapons are sneaked into the city. He suggested travellers come back earlier or later in order to spread out traffic.

3 pm: Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd says that despite sporadic incidents. the operation to retake control of the Victory Monument and nearby areas has been "satisfactory".  He denies claims that some protesters had been killed. There had been no death, he insisted.

He also says footage of soldiers aiming and firing at protesters could have misled the public, because the soldiers were only firing blank bullets.

3.10 pm: Scattered protesters in the Sri Ayutthaya intersection are said to have fled toward the Urupong area.

2.45 pm: Tension is very high between flat residents and the protesters. One TV reporter reports seeing protesters beating and chasing some residents.

2.30 pm: Din Daeng flat residents and some officers try unsuccessfully to negotiate with red-shirted protesters who parked a gas truck near the flat the community. Gas valve has been secured and the authorities shower water on the truck. Although the protesters claimed the use of the gas truck was only meant as a blockade, there was increasingly fear among the residents about an explosion.

1.30pm: Thick smoke is spotted at the Victory Monument. Red-shirted protesters reportedly set tyres on fire just opposite the Rajvithi Hospital and some protesters also drove a car over a fiberglass police statue near the monument. Police also ask people to get out of the pedestrian bridges around the monument but the skytrain station was not closed yet.

1pm : it was reported that soliders manged to take hold of all corners of the Din Daeng triangle and the red-shirted protesters backed towards Rajaparop Road. Twenty people were reported to be injured from the clash there.

12.15pm : an explosive sound is heard followed by smokes from a public park near the Victory Monument, where there are only the red-shirted protesterd.

While soliders continue to push the protesters out of Din Daeng area towards the Victory Monument direction, the demonstrators set on fire a bus that was parked in the middle of the road.

12.10pm : soldiers continue to clash with the red-shirted protesters at the entrance to the Din Daeng elevated road. As the lastest, the protesters reportedly tried to drive a bus into the soldiers but the officers counter that with gunshots thus the bus crash into the bridge railing. There was no report yet if anyone was killed.

12.30pm : PM's deputy secretary-general Panitan Wattanayagorn, on TV, ensures foreigners' safety and that the government is gaining control of the situation.

Red Shirt's D Station black out.

12.10pm:  Pheu Thai MPs threaten to mobilise more people to join protesters if the government does not stop using weapons, open an urgent joint-meeting among MPs and the Senate.

12.03pm :  The gas truck is removed from King Power.

12pm : Protesters burn a bus at Din Daeng Triangle. Gun shots were heard.

11.45am :  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva addresses live on TV, denying death report in the morning. He added that 23 soldiers and 47 protesters were injured. Four soldiers suffered bullet wounds.

He calls on people to cooperate by filing information. He also tells people to be confident that the government is trying to restore order as soon as possible.

11.20am : The director of Rajavithi Hospital insists Monday that no protester was killed during the crackdown at the Din Daeng Intersection early Monday.

10am : Protesters park an LPG gas truck at King Power Shopping Mall.

9.50am :  Protesters confront and throw molotov cocktails (bottle bombs) at soldiers around Din Daeng Intersection while (the protesters) retreating to Din Daeng flats.

9.30am :  Weng Tojirakarn tells protesters to seize four buses and use them to block Orathai Bridge and Misakawan intersections.

8.45am :  Police beef up force from 200 to 300 officers to secure Democrat Party headquarters on speculation that protesters would raid the place. Police later ask reporters and cameramen to move away from the area for fear that they would be injured in a possible clash with protesters.

8am :  Protesters seize buses and use them to block Si Ayutthaya road. Some burn tyres at nearby intersections.

7.30am :  Protesters at the Royal Plaza round up 15 journalists, saying they reported unfairly. The group attempt to attack, forcing journalists to leave.

7.20am :   Deputy PM's Secretary-General Panitan Wattanayagorn tells a press conference Monday morning that some protesters were arrested, detained unharmed. Army Spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the protesters were detained at "proper place" without elaborating.

7.15am :  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva sets up a committee to direct the implementation according to Emergency Decree, authorising the Supreme Commander as the director to fix emergencies and prohibiting blockade of any roads in Bangkok and other effective areas.

6.40am : Protesters park 10-wheel gas truck on in-bound Vibhavadi-Rangsit road in Din Daeng Triangle area to prevent soldiers from coming in. Both directions of the road are closed.

Protesters drive truck fuelled by NGV gas into the compound. The truck uses several NGV cylinders and the protesters shouted that the flat residents should leave immediately, prompting speculation that the protesters would explode the gas tanks

6.00am : Army spokesman says soldiers fired tear gas at Din Daeng Intersection only after protesters threw molotov cocktails at them and tried to hit them with a bus.

4.30am : Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan says another leader Arisman Pongruangrong had been bailed out.

4am : Anti-government protesters and military officers are injured as the government has employed a force to disperse the protest near Din Daeng Intersection in Bangkok. Gunshots were heard until 5.30am. Soldiers insisted they fired the shots to the air.

1.30am :  Three bombs are shot to Constitutional Court. One exploded while two did not. Police said the bombs could be M79 type.

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