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Thailand: Seven hurt as gunmen fire on Bangkok protest | Thailand: Seven hurt as gunmen fire on Bangkok protest |
(about 3 hours later) | |
At least seven people have been injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on anti-government demonstrators in the protest-hit Thai capital, Bangkok. | |
One person is in a critical condition after the attacks on the main rally site - a day after six were injured in clashes between rival groups. | |
The opposition has been campaigning to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra since last November. | The opposition has been campaigning to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra since last November. |
Protesters want to block next month's snap election. | |
Protest leaders are planning a total shutdown of the capital on Monday, and the army and police say they are concerned there will be further violence. | |
Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-Ocha said on Saturday: "I want to urge all sides and everybody, please don't clash and fight. We're all Thais. We can think differently but we cannot kill each other." | Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-Ocha said on Saturday: "I want to urge all sides and everybody, please don't clash and fight. We're all Thais. We can think differently but we cannot kill each other." |
He also tried to quell rumours of military intervention, insisting that no-one would mount a coup - a contrast to earlier statements in which he said he could not rule one out. | |
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says the army is believed to be divided over how to respond to the prolonged political stalemate. | |
Thousands of soldiers will deployed with the police to keep order next week, but the troops will be confined to protecting buildings rather than helping the police confront the protesters. | |
Increase in violence? | |
For most of the past two months the anti-government protest movement has been largely unopposed, except for a few violent confrontations with the police. | |
But recently there have been several night-time attacks by unidentified men on motorbikes. | |
Police said the first overnight attack occurred at about 02:30 local time (19:30 GMT Friday) wounding two people, including a security guard. | |
The second took place a few hours later, wounding five individuals. | The second took place a few hours later, wounding five individuals. |
Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai party is considered likely to win next month's election. | Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai party is considered likely to win next month's election. |
But the protesters say her populist policies have created a flawed democracy, and want her government replaced with an unelected "People's Council". | But the protesters say her populist policies have created a flawed democracy, and want her government replaced with an unelected "People's Council". |
Some believe that the ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra - Ms Yingluck's brother - is still controlling events in Thailand through his sister and her government. |
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