World

Thai Protesters Trap Legislators

by Dave Keating | October 7, 2008 at 03:03 am

224 views | 14 Recommendations | 5 comments

After a period of calm, events in Thailand are heating up again, with protestors renewing their push to unseat the government.

Thousands of anti-government protesters surrounded Parliament on Tuesday, trapping hundreds of legislators, cutting off power to the building and vowing to remain until the government falls.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat escaped over a back fence after delivering a policy address but other members were unable to leave, according to reporters inside the building.

The siege escalated a six-week sit-in on the grounds of the nearby prime minister’s office that has forced the government to relocate its activities to a former international airport.

Nearly 70 protesters were reportedly injuredwhen the police attacked the rally early Tuesday, firing tear gas and stun grenades. The protesters, some of whom were armed with sticks and machetes, threw back tear gas canisters and hurled rocks and firecrackers.

5 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Amitjha

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 03:13 on October 7th, 2008

Dave Keating, I like this story. It's good stuff.

adaptorplug

at 05:42 on October 7th, 2008

Any proof they had machetes?

I was down there this afternoon. Didn't see any machetes Yes they were armed with sticks, golf clubs, etc...

I saw no protestors lobbing back cannisters at the police. Any cannister landing anywhere near us cause a short panic clearing an area in seconds. Unless the cannister had'nt gone off no one would have been able to get close to them.

The building was cut off from power from the grid.... and then the buildings' generators kicked in.

mtippett

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:29 on October 7th, 2008

This seems to be spinning out of control.

byronmalithaiholiday

at 19:49 on October 7th, 2008

My photos show the protests at the start of september (in bangkok) this day the protests escalated quickly from a few people standing on the footpath to a few hundred with road blocks and armed with wooden clubs. I have to say tho, the Thai people were very curteous and polite to my girlfriend and i the whole time, they really do treat foreigners well.

byronmalithaiholiday has contributed a photo to this story.