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Thailand crisis: Protesters move to shut down Bangkok Thailand crisis: Protesters begin Bangkok 'shutdown'
(about 3 hours later)
Opposition protestors in Thailand are gathering in the capital Bangkok to try to shut down the city centre. Protesters have begun blocking roads in parts of the Thai capital, Bangkok, in a bid to oust the government before snap elections on 2 February.
It is part of their campaign to overthrow the government before snap elections due on 2 February. The protesters are building barricades and occupying key road junctions.
The government has deployed 18,000 police and soldiers but the protesters are building barricades and occupying key road junctions. The government has deployed 18,000 security personnel to maintain order.
Election officials have asked the government to delay the election by three months on security grounds. The protesters, who began their campaign in November, want to replace the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra with an unelected "People's Council".
But a Deputy Prime Minister, Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, told BBC News this was not possible. They say Ms Yingluck is a proxy for her exiled brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006. They allege populist policies from Thaksin-allied parties have created a flawed democracy.
Protesters say Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is a proxy for her exiled brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006. Thaksin-allied parties draw considerable support from rural voters and have won the last four elections. The main opposition party is now boycotting the 2 February polls.
At least seven people were injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on anti-government demonstrators at the main rally site in Bangkok on Saturday. At least eight people have been killed since the protests began late last year. On Saturday, at least seven people were injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on demonstrators at the main rally site in Bangkok.
Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-Ocha has sought to quell rumours of military intervention, insisting that no-one will mount a coup. 'No win-win'
Soldiers are restricted to protecting buildings rather than helping the police confront the protesters. Huge crowds are expected to turn out for the demonstration on Monday. Protesters say they intend to shut down the capital.
Schools closing Protesters plan to block several major road junctions and also surround key ministries in a bid to prevent them from functioning. About 150 schools have been told to close.
One of the main protest leaders, former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, was defiant as he rallied demonstrators. The protesters say they will remain in place for several days - but say they will not target public transport or the airports, which were closed for several days by anti-Thaksin protesters in 2008.
At a rally on Sunday, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban was defiant.
"I want to announce on this important night that the masses will not accept any proposals or negotiations," he told supporters, as quoted by the Associated Press news agency."I want to announce on this important night that the masses will not accept any proposals or negotiations," he told supporters, as quoted by the Associated Press news agency.
"In this fight, defeat is defeat and victory is victory. There is no tie. There's no win-win. There's only win on one side.""In this fight, defeat is defeat and victory is victory. There is no tie. There's no win-win. There's only win on one side."
Schools are expected to close because of fears for students' safety. The government says it is deploying 8,000 soldiers and 10,000 police to keep order.
Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan said the government was still trying to negotiate with the protest movement over a possible compromise. The military - which has carried out several coups in the past - has refused to rule out another one. Some fear an escalation of violence could lead to a military intervention.
"Prime Minister Yingluck has ordered all police and military personnel to exercise utmost restraint and not to use all kinds of weapons in handling the protesters," the deputy prime minister said. The government has so far worked to avoid confrontation with the protesters.
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. Ms Yingluck had "ordered all police and military personnel to exercise utmost restraint and not to use all kinds of weapons in handling the protesters", the deputy prime minister said.
But recently there have been several night-time attacks by unidentified men on motorbikes. The political unrest is the worst to hit Thailand since the protests of 2010, which were against a government led by the current opposition party and left more than 90 people dead.
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".
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.