Sixty-eight people have been killed in clashes between soldiers and red-shirt protesters since April 10, with 37 of them having been killed in the latest sparring near the Rajprasong rally site, Erawan Emergency Medical Centre's director, Phetpong Kamjornkitjakarn, said yesterday.
He added that 296 people have been injured from last Friday until yesterday, with 14 of them in intensive care units. One of the foreigners injured and unidentified thus far is said to be a reporter from overseas. He is being treated at Bumrungrad Hospital.
Meanwhile, help is needed for the family of a Poh Teck Tung Foundation volunteer who was shot dead while rescuing a victim near Soi Ngam Duphli on Saturday. Mana Saenprasert's family said the 21-year-old was the sole breadwinner and that they had not been offered any financial help by any agencies. The family lives in Bon Kai.
Mana's elder sister Kanravee, 32, said her brother worked as a taxi driver, while her other two brothers were unemployed. Moreover, Mana had borrowed Bt200,000 to purchase his taxi and needed to pay more than Bt1,000 a day to the loanshark. Since none of the agencies have offered the family any assistance, Kanravee hoped other people would step in.
A friend recounted that Mana had gone out to buy some food, and stopped to help the injured man, before he was killed. This was his last rescue mission, the friend lamented. Mana used to also volunteer as a firefighter.
Meanwhile, the wife of a Vajira Hospital rescue worker, Boonthing Parnsila, 25, who was shot dead last Friday night, called on the authorities to bring the murderer to justice.
Boonthing was helping injured people in Soi Rangnam when he was shot dead.
"I want the law to be enforced strictly. Police should investigate this case and punish the killer. I don't want agencies to just offer help and not punish the murderer to justice. Money cannot compensate for the loss of his life," Waraporn Ketkaew, 24, said. She and Boonthing have a nine-month-old boy.
"I'm very proud of my husband and I intend to instil his mindset in my son so he can serve the country," Waraporn said. She added that Boonthing often helped guard Wat Devaraj Kunchorn and was loved by his neighbours because he helped everybody.
To help, call Kanravee at (089) 136 0834 and Waraporn at (087) 322 3514.
Meanwhile, the bodies of two red-shirt protesters, Wongsakorn Plangsri, 40 and Suphan Thoomthong, 49, were brought home to Si Sa Ket province yesterday. They were both killed in the clashes on Monday, and will be cremated this weekend.
In a related report, the Ramathibodi Hospital is seeking urgent platelet donations. Donors can call (02) 201 1219 and (02) 201 1229. People who believe they might have lost relatives in the clashes can also go to Ramathibodhi Hospital to identify bodies.