Violence erupts in Bangkok

Weeks of protests have erupted into violence in the Thai capital as anti-government forces upped the ante in their campaign to bring down Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government.

A flurry of mob attacks - on a packed bus, a taxi and two people on a motorcycle - followed a call to occupy the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday. The targets were accused of being pro-government "red shirts".

The attacks raise fears for what might happen today as demonstrators vowed to carry out their final push to attain victory against what they call the "Thaksin regime" and install a "people's council" in its place.

The demonstrators seeking to topple Ms Yingluck's administration have already laid siege to major government buildings in Bangkok, in the biggest street rallies since the 2010 protests that left dozens dead.

A motley grouping of royalists and urban middle-class citizens, they are united by their hatred of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother of the present Premier.

Security was beefed up around key government installations after protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban announced at the weekend plans to seize the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), national police headquarters as well as several key ministries on Sunday.

"We need to break the law a little bit to achieve our goals," he was quoted by Reuters as saying on Saturday.

Protesters have occupied the Finance Ministry since last Monday. on Saturday, thousands more marched from a multi-agency government complex on Bangkok's outskirts - part of which they are occupying - to two state-owned telecommunications units.

About 30,000 policemen are guarding the Government House - where the PMO is located - as well as Parliament, National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanabutr told The Sunday Times. Another 15,000 have been deployed at key installations in the capital, alongside reams of barbed wire and concrete blocks designed to keep protesters away from no-go zones.

Thai police, haunted by memories of a bloody military crackdown on anti-government protesters in 2010 by the then Democrat government, have shown restraint, even after protesters cut the power supply to the national headquarters last Thursday.

On Saturday, some of the protesters started tearing down the barricades of concrete blocks and sandbags in preparation for their push on Government House.

The anti-government protesters want to rid Thailand of what they call the "regime" of former premier Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup but is believed to wield substantial influence over the government through his sister Yingluck as well as the Puea Thai party.

They are led by Mr Suthep, a former deputy prime minister who quit his post as opposition Democrat lawmaker together with eight other colleagues three weeks ago to drive the movement.

The leaders have called for a "people's assembly" to temporarily replace the elected Parliament and reform the electoral process to make it less prone to vote-buying. Critics, however, say this is a thinly veiled attempt to sidestep the electoral dominance of Puea Thai - which is popular among Thailand's rural masses - and strengthen the position of the country's old elite.

The army, which has attempted at least 18 coups in Thailand's history, has stayed neutral so far despite appeals for intervention by anti-government protesters.

Ms Yingluck has said the "people's assembly" proposal is unconstitutional and has refused to step down or to call for snap elections.

On Saturday, she told Thai media: "I will not run away. I am not afraid to face anything."

In a televised press conference, she also urged protesters to leave her school-going son alone.

Thai media reports had said that her son was being harassed by parents of other children.

"If you are angry, please make it about me," she said.

Mr Suthep has refused to negotiate with Ms Yingluck despite repeated appeals.

The developments have been viewed with alarm by the international community.

The United States Embassy in Bangkok tweeted on Saturday night: "We urge all sides to refrain from violence, exercise restraint and respect the rule of law."

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of "red shirt" government supporters are readying themselves to go to the government's aid. Many of them are rallying in the Rajamangala stadium in Bangkok's Ramkamhaeng area.

A red shirt leader Thida Thawornset told The Sunday Times: "We will stay inside the stadium for now and see what happens."

tanhy@sph.com.sg

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