BANGKOK, April 15 (Xinhua) --
Peace has returned to Bangkok Wednesday though at least two key leaders of the
recent anti-government protest are still at large.
Supporters of ousted Thai prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra aboard a truck leave the Government House area in
Bangkok April 14, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Thai News Agency said Jatuporn Promphan and Jakrapob
Penkair, leaders of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD),are
believed still hiding in Thailand.
Other three leaders of the UDD or the red-shirts,
Veera Musigapong, Natthawut Saikua and Weng Tochirakarn, surrendered to the
police Tuesday after declaring the end of a sustained protest. They have been
detained separately, said the authorities.
Traffic around Government House, which used to be a
major encampment of the red-shirts during their protests, remains closed to all
but official traffic.
Warrants have been issued Tuesday for ex-premier
Thaksin Shinawatra and other leaders of the bloody street clashes, which during
Monday and Tuesday has caused 121 injured and two dead.
The surrender of UDD leaders and dispersing of
protesters may mean an end, at least a halt, of Thailand's 20-day-long political
turmoil since March 26, when the red-shirts began to rally to push Abhisit to
resign.
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva walks in the interior ministry after a news conference in
Bangkok April 12, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva said on Tuesday afternoon the tension caused by anti-government
protesters has been eased, and the retreat of the red-shirted people does not
mean a victory or loss of any side, but a victory of society, since normalcy has
returned.
However, the emergency decree can not be immediately
lifted in order to facilitate the security forces to fully restore stability as
soon as possible, the premier said, without mentioning the exact timing for the
state of emergency to be lifted. Full story
BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thai criminal court on
Tuesday issued arrest warrants for 14 protest leaders including ex-premier
Thaksin Shinawatra, Thai media reported.
Thai-language newspaper Thairath said on its website
that other leaders on the list includes Natthawut Saikua, Veera Musigapong,
Jatuporn Promphan and Suporn Atthawong, leaders of the protestors. Full story
BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Check points with soldiers will be set up across
Thailand's capital Bangkok on Tuesday night in a bid to ensure security after
the capital had been tremendously hit by scattered rioting due to the
anti-government rallies over the previous two days, April 12-13, a Thai military
officer told Xinhua.
A large number of the soldiers will be deployed for a
purpose of checking passers-by and street patrol across Bangkok as the soldiers
will cooperate with police aiming to fully restore peace and stability as
quickly as possible, said Thai Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.Full story
Soldiers inspect the belongings of
supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as they leave
the Government House area while soldiers watch in Bangkok April 14, 2009.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Deputy Government Spokesman Supachai
Jaisamut said Tuesday that the government would lift the state of emergency over
Bangkok as soon as the situation is completely under control.
"We do not want to maintain the state of emergency for too
long," Supachai told Xinhua. However, the government would not say exactly when
the emergency decree will be lifted. "It would be until we're sure everything
has returned to normal." Full story
A burning bus is seen on a street near
the Government House in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, on April 13, 2009.
(Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo) Photo
Gallery>>>
BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thai anti-government
protesters began to head home Tuesday afternoon after their leaders surrendered
to police and called an end to the rally. But the security in the capital
Bangkok is still tight.
At about 12:15 p.m., protesters were gradually identifying
themselves to troops at the Royal Plaza to take buses to return home. They were
required to show their ID cards and allow officials to check their bags before
being allowed to board the buses.Full story
BANGKOK, April 14
(Xinhua) -- A Thai Health Department official announced here Tuesday in a live
TV address that two died and another 121 have been injured in clashes so far in
Bangkok, Thailand.
Chatri Charoencheevakul, Secretary-General of the
Narenthorn Emergency Medical Center, said that the injured had been sent to
seven hospitals, and currently 50 are still under medical treatment including
two in critical condition, while the others have been dismissed.Full story
