Hardcore reds took out troops' commanders

Let us first pause for a moment to pay tribute to those who gave their lives during the skirmishes between government soldiers and the red shirts on Black Saturday. It is bad enough when families have to lose their loved ones. But it is even worse when Thais have to kill Thais. At the latest count, 21 people had died, five of whom were soldiers and 14 ordinary folks, including a Japanese photographer working for Thompson Reuters. Some 16 hospitals in Bangkok were full of people suffering from injuries. They are now in need of fresh blood to help the patients.

Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdiphol, alias Seh Daeng and one of the hardcore members of the red shirts, emerged to brag about the government soldiers losing the battle on Rajdamnoen Avenue. He said many of their commanders had been nullified. Without the commanders, the government troops fell into disarray in the face of a relentless onslaught by the red shirts. Khattiya admitted that an unnamed group of fighters came over to assist the red shirts' "people's army".

He was right. Obviously, the red shirts fought against the government soldiers in a tit-for-tat way as they successfully fended off the government's attempt to disperse them from Phan Fa Bridge.

The government soldiers suffered heavy casualties. Col Romkhlao Thuvakam, deputy Army chief-of-staff from the Second Infantry Regiment in Prachin Buri, was killed by a gunshot to the head. Maj General Valit Rajanaphakdi, the chief of the Second Infantry Regiment, was seriously wounded. His legs were hit by an M79 grenade. Other key commanders also sustained wounds.

The question is: How did the red shirts know about the formation of the government troops and their commanders?

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva finally decided to act against the escalating violence by the red shirts by trying to enforce the emergency decree. But he lacked experience and tactical support from those responsible for implementing the Emergency Command Centre at the 11th Infantry Regiment. They all underestimated the resilience of the red shirts, fully armed and capable of a fierce fight.

The soldiers dispatched to quash the red shirts at Phan Fa Bridge in the afternoon of Saturday were not only outnumbered by the red shirts, they had to operate under the strict rules of the emergency decree. They could only use teargas, water cannons, batons, shields and plastic bullets against the protesters. Abhisit had insisted that the soldiers could use real bullets only at critical moments when they had to protect their own lives. But the key fighters of the red shirts were armed with M16 rifles, M79 grenade launchers and other military weapons. Rajdamnoen Avenue turned into a war zone. The less equipped government soldiers on Rajdamnoen were destined for a rout.

The government decided to call off the military operation. The soldiers were fighting a losing battle. Abhisit wanted to give both sides a cooling-off break and have them lay down their weapons and examine the loss of lives and injuries.

Further negotiations look difficult because the red shirts have resorted to armed struggle and resistance on a mass scale. Pressure is building on Abhisit for having miscalculated the red shirts' counterattack capability. The emergency operation to reclaim Phan Fa Bridge turned into a total defeat. The red shirts clearly held the upper hand.

Abhisit has expressed his regret at the human toll and the huge number of injuries. But the premier intends to restore law and order to the capital. Now we are wondering how this crisis will end.