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| Thai Protests Turn Volatile as at Least 3 Are Shot Dead | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| BANGKOK — The week-old campaign of antigovernment protests in Thailand entered a dangerous new phase on Sunday after shootings involving rival political camps left at least three people dead and more than 110 wounded in Bangkok. | BANGKOK — The week-old campaign of antigovernment protests in Thailand entered a dangerous new phase on Sunday after shootings involving rival political camps left at least three people dead and more than 110 wounded in Bangkok. |
| Many areas of this sprawling capital remained unaffected by the demonstrations. But the shootings and the increasingly provocative moves by protesters spread fears that unrest could move beyond the pockets of Bangkok where demonstrations — and violence — have raged. | Many areas of this sprawling capital remained unaffected by the demonstrations. But the shootings and the increasingly provocative moves by protesters spread fears that unrest could move beyond the pockets of Bangkok where demonstrations — and violence — have raged. |
| As protesters seeking to take over the prime minister’s office clashed with riot police officers, Bangkok’s largest shopping malls, which normally teem with visitors on weekends, hastily announced that they were closing their doors for the day. | As protesters seeking to take over the prime minister’s office clashed with riot police officers, Bangkok’s largest shopping malls, which normally teem with visitors on weekends, hastily announced that they were closing their doors for the day. |
| Nearly 3,000 soldiers arrived in the capital to shore up critical government buildings. | Nearly 3,000 soldiers arrived in the capital to shore up critical government buildings. |
| The protesters have banded together in a seemingly quixotic attempt to end the influence of Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire tycoon and former prime minister whose political party has captured the allegiance of voters in the Thai countryside, winning every election since 2001. The protesters say they are frustrated with the dominance of Mr. Thaksin and are disillusioned with the current democratic system. They have proposed an alternative to the country’s democracy — an ill-defined people’s council made up of representatives from many professions. | The protesters have banded together in a seemingly quixotic attempt to end the influence of Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire tycoon and former prime minister whose political party has captured the allegiance of voters in the Thai countryside, winning every election since 2001. The protesters say they are frustrated with the dominance of Mr. Thaksin and are disillusioned with the current democratic system. They have proposed an alternative to the country’s democracy — an ill-defined people’s council made up of representatives from many professions. |
| Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is Mr. Thaksin’s youngest sister, repeatedly said over the weekend that she was open to discussions with protesters but that she would stand firm. | Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is Mr. Thaksin’s youngest sister, repeatedly said over the weekend that she was open to discussions with protesters but that she would stand firm. |
| “I will remain here,” she told reporters on Saturday, her voice cracking with emotion. “I will not flee anywhere. I may be a woman, but I have the courage to face all possible scenarios.” | “I will remain here,” she told reporters on Saturday, her voice cracking with emotion. “I will not flee anywhere. I may be a woman, but I have the courage to face all possible scenarios.” |
| An attempt by the military to broker reconciliation late Sunday appeared to have failed. Military commanders organized a meeting between Ms. Yingluck and the leader of the protests, Suthep Thaugsuban. But Mr. Suthep said afterward that the meeting ended without any agreement and that there would not be any further meetings “until the people gain victory.” | An attempt by the military to broker reconciliation late Sunday appeared to have failed. Military commanders organized a meeting between Ms. Yingluck and the leader of the protests, Suthep Thaugsuban. But Mr. Suthep said afterward that the meeting ended without any agreement and that there would not be any further meetings “until the people gain victory.” |
| Foreign embassies in Bangkok issued warnings to their citizens on Sunday, many ratcheting up the relatively mild caution they advised last week. | Foreign embassies in Bangkok issued warnings to their citizens on Sunday, many ratcheting up the relatively mild caution they advised last week. |
| Secondary schools, at least seven universities and a number of government offices announced they would close on Monday. | Secondary schools, at least seven universities and a number of government offices announced they would close on Monday. |
| Over the past week, protesters have broken down the gates to the army headquarters, cut power to the police headquarters and occupied parts of a large government complex that houses Thailand’s equivalent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Protesters also raided a state-owned telecommunications office, temporarily cutting Internet service to thousands of people on Saturday and shutting down the website of the state carrier, Thai Airways, for several hours. | Over the past week, protesters have broken down the gates to the army headquarters, cut power to the police headquarters and occupied parts of a large government complex that houses Thailand’s equivalent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Protesters also raided a state-owned telecommunications office, temporarily cutting Internet service to thousands of people on Saturday and shutting down the website of the state carrier, Thai Airways, for several hours. |
| On Sunday, protesters massed outside television stations around Bangkok and demanded that the stations, including one owned by the military, switch their signals to a network associated with the protests. Journalists, even the few who have been sympathetic to the protesters, bristled at what they said was an attack on their independence. | On Sunday, protesters massed outside television stations around Bangkok and demanded that the stations, including one owned by the military, switch their signals to a network associated with the protests. Journalists, even the few who have been sympathetic to the protesters, bristled at what they said was an attack on their independence. |
| The protesters are a diverse group, ranging from upper-class Thais who have attended rallies in high heels and office attire to rubber farmers from southern Thailand who have long been allied with the opposition Democrat Party, which itself is affiliated with the protests. Also taking part in the protests are students known for brawling, which has compounded tensions. | The protesters are a diverse group, ranging from upper-class Thais who have attended rallies in high heels and office attire to rubber farmers from southern Thailand who have long been allied with the opposition Democrat Party, which itself is affiliated with the protests. Also taking part in the protests are students known for brawling, which has compounded tensions. |
| Protest leaders appeared to have trouble controlling vocational students on Sunday as they charged against police lines and dismantled barricades made of razor wire. | Protest leaders appeared to have trouble controlling vocational students on Sunday as they charged against police lines and dismantled barricades made of razor wire. |
| “Vocational students, I beg you, do not provoke the police!” said Ratchayuth Sirayothinpakdee, a protest leader, who barked orders from a megaphone as he and other protesters dodged repeated volleys of tear gas by the police. | “Vocational students, I beg you, do not provoke the police!” said Ratchayuth Sirayothinpakdee, a protest leader, who barked orders from a megaphone as he and other protesters dodged repeated volleys of tear gas by the police. |
| Vocational students played a major and bloody role in a 1976 massacre against students at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, one of the deadliest crackdowns in recent Thai history. | Vocational students played a major and bloody role in a 1976 massacre against students at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, one of the deadliest crackdowns in recent Thai history. |
| The shootings on Saturday and in the early hours of Sunday occurred near a stadium packed with tens of thousands of government supporters known as red shirts. | The shootings on Saturday and in the early hours of Sunday occurred near a stadium packed with tens of thousands of government supporters known as red shirts. |
| Red shirts traveling to the stadium were attacked by young men who wore the symbols of the antigovernment demonstrators — whistles and arm bands with the national flag. Those attacks led to shootings between both camps. | Red shirts traveling to the stadium were attacked by young men who wore the symbols of the antigovernment demonstrators — whistles and arm bands with the national flag. Those attacks led to shootings between both camps. |
| The Bangkok Emergency Medical Service Center, a government organization tracking the violence, initially said four people had been killed over the weekend but then revised the number down to three, citing a clerical error. | The Bangkok Emergency Medical Service Center, a government organization tracking the violence, initially said four people had been killed over the weekend but then revised the number down to three, citing a clerical error. |
| The protests are the biggest since 2010, when the military dispersed tens of thousands of protesters occupying Bangkok’s commercial district, a violent crackdown that left more than 90 people dead. | The protests are the biggest since 2010, when the military dispersed tens of thousands of protesters occupying Bangkok’s commercial district, a violent crackdown that left more than 90 people dead. |
Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting. | Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: December 1, 2013 | Correction: December 1, 2013 |
An earlier version of this article misstated when two fatal shootings took place during protests in Bangkok. They occurred on Saturday and early Sunday; both did not occur on Saturday. | An earlier version of this article misstated when two fatal shootings took place during protests in Bangkok. They occurred on Saturday and early Sunday; both did not occur on Saturday. |