Thai protesters parade coffins after deadly violence Skip to main content

Thai protesters parade coffins after deadly violence

Red-shirt protesters rest at one of their camps in Bangkok, 12 April
The red-shirts control important intersections of the capital
Thai opposition protesters have been parading coffins through Bangkok in protest at the weekend violence which left 21 people dead.
Most of the coffins were empty, but at least two contained the bodies of demonstrators killed in clashes with the security forces.

As the procession of coffins began, reports suggested PM Abhisit Vejjajiva was considering calling early polls.
Early elections is one of the demands of the anti-government protesters.
But the red-shirted protesters want Mr Abhisit's immediate resignation.
The red-shirts still control important intersections in the city and are increasingly confident after withstanding the security forces' attempt to move them back, the BBC's Quentin Somerville reports from Bangkok.
There was little sign of renewed clashes in the city on Monday, with shops re-opening and the rail network running again.
But despite the calm on the streets, there is no sign of Thailand's deep political conflict being solved any time soon, our correspondent says.
'Murderers'
Most of the 21 people killed on Saturday were civilians. About 800 people were also injured.
Both sides accuse each other of firing live bullets during the confrontation.
Jatuporn Prompan, one of the red-shirts' leaders, told a rally that Mr Abhisit's hands were "bloodied" by the clashes.
"Red-shirts will never negotiate with murderers," he announced from a makeshift stage.
"Although the road is rough and full of obstacles, it's our duty to honour the dead by bringing democracy to this country."
The red-shirts - a loose coalition of left-wing activists and supporters of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - say Mr Abhisit came to power illegitimately in a parliamentary vote after a pro-Thaksin government was forced to step down in 2008. Mr Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006.
They have vowed to defy the state of emergency declared last Wednesday with more rallies. Arrest warrants have been issued for several of the protest leaders.
Unconfirmed reports in local newspapers on Monday said political parties in the coalition government were pressuring Mr Abhisit to compromise with the protesters by dissolving parliament in the next six months instead of by the end of the year, as he had earlier promised.

BBC
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