Thai Army says it did not shoot protest leader

Bangkok, Thailand (News Today) - Thailand's army had nothing to do with the shooting of an opposition leader in downtown Bangkok, a military spokesman said Friday.

The Thursday incident is under investigation, said Col. Sansern Kaewkumnerd, an Army spokesman.

Downtown Bangkok's Lumpini Park turned into a mob atmosphere amid gunshots and explosions Thursday as anti-government protesters massed there.

Video footage showed one protester dead on the pavement. There was also footage of Red Shirt movement leader Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdipol lying on the ground, bleeding from a gunshot wound near the neck, as frantic protesters attempted to move him and get help.

The renegade general is better known as Seh Daeng, or Red Commander.

Thai forces were slowly getting control of the downtown area Friday, a government official told CNN.

But sporadic gunshots could be heard ringing out from the area..

One person died from clashes Friday and two were in critical condition, a local hospital director said. All three were shot.

Friday's clashes were the latest in month-long protests that have pitted an anti-government group called the Red Shirts against government forces.

What are protests about?

The violence started this week after Thai authorities set a new deadline to seal off a Bangkok intersection where protesters had gathered by the thousands. Officials had said soldiers would seal off roads and shut down rail service leading to the Ratchaprasong intersection early Thursday evening.

Authorities had initially threatened to shut off power, cut supplies and seal off the intersection at midnight Thursday. They postponed the plan because they wanted to limit the impact on area residents, said Panitan Wattanayakorn, the acting government spokesman.

During the Thursday clashes, Tom Fuller of the International Herald Tribune told CNN he was among those interviewing the renegade general -- better known as Seh Daeng, or Red Commander -- when he was shot.

Reporter: Bullet 'felt like it grazed my head'

One of the more radical leaders in Thailand's wide-ranging protest movement, Khattiya appeared to be bleeding from a head wound. Footage from the hospital showed medics covering his face as he was brought in on a stretcher amid a throng of media.

He was in critical condition, his guards said.

The government said it has been forced to take action after demonstrators disregarded an ultimatum by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to vacate the intersection by Wednesday.

The Red Shirts support former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006. They are demanding that the government dissolve the lower parliament and hold new elections.

Spokesman Panitan said continuing protests by Red Shirts would affect the proposed election date of November 14. He said Abhisit had mentioned that the proposed date for the new election had been made with the condition that the Red Shirts stop their protests. "He never said he withdrew his proposal," Panitan said.

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More than two dozen civilians and military personnel have died in police-protester clashes in the ongoing unrest.

Source : CNN

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