Protesters seeking to topple Thailand's government today threatened more demonstrations in the capital, a day after two people died and over 400 were injured in the worst street violence in 16 years.
Prime minister Somchai Wongsawat briefed Southeast Asian ambassadors on the deepening political crisis, telling them the government was "confident that it can take care of the situation", a diplomat at the meeting said.
The long-running campaign and recent violence have hurt investor confidence and distracted policymakers when they should be focused on slowing economic growth and the fallout from the global credit crisis, analysts say.
Leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) vowed to press on with the four-month street campaign. "We can't stand this government with blood on its hands. More people will hit the streets to oust this government," Sirichai Maingam, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), told TV 3 television.
The streets around parliament were quiet after the military deployed unarmed troops overnight to help police restore order.
A former police colonel and relative of a PAD leader in northeast Thailand was killed in an explosion yesterday.
A female protester also died in the clashes with police who fired volleys of teargas and stun grenades at the crowds. Demonstrators fought back with stones, clubs and pistol shots.
During a visit with injured police in hospital, Mr Somchai defended their use of teargas against the protesters.
"Police were stabbed with steel bars, flag poles and even shot. The rally wasn't as peaceful as the protesters claimed," he told reporters.
PAD radio and television broadcasts urged supporters in the provinces to join the street campaign, which began in late May.
The PAD is an extra-parliamentary coalition of businessmen, academics and activists who see Somchai as a puppet of Thaksin Shinawatra, his brother-in-law, who was deposed in a coup in 2006 and has fled to exile in London to escape graft charges.