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.
The face-off between protesters and the army in Bangkok has lasted more than 24 hours.
The violence started before dawn Monday after Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency on Sunday afternoon in Bangkok and some districts of five provinces nearby, citing the escalating violence of red-shirted protesters.
Soon after the declaration of the state of emergency, soldiers and armored carriers were deployed onto the Bangkok street.
At about 4:30 a.m. local time Monday morning, some 300 red-shirted protestors used a seized bus to crash soldiers stationed at Din Daeng District in north Bangkok. Soldiers fired warning shots into the air and used teargas to disperse the protestors. Abhisit confirmed later Monday that 70 were injured in the clash, with no one dead.
PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnontaey said on Monday night a person was shot dead by red-shirted protesters. Two others were injured. The victims were all residents of the Nang Lerng Market, where red-shirted protesters clashed with local vendors on Monday evening.
The political unrest in Thailand has been ongoing since former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was removed by a military coup in 2006.
After a court ordered the removal of the previous pro-Thaksin government, Abhisit was appointed by the Parliament in December, prompting displeased Thaksin supporters to stage regular street protests.
(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2009)
