THAILAND:THAILAND'S ARMY returned to the streets of Bangkok yesterday after more than 12 hours of clashes between police and anti-government protesters left two people dead and at least 380 injured.
The violence was the culmination of a six-week stand-off between protesters organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy and the new government of Somchai Wangsawat, the prime minister, whom they accuse of corruption and allegiance to Thaksin Shinawatra, the former leader now in exile in Britain.
The violence began shortly after dawn yesterday when police fired tear gas at PAD protesters demonstrating outside parliament, demanding the dissolution of Mr Somchai's administration.
Demonstrators said two people lost their legs and two lost their arms when they were hit by tear gas canisters, with another 47 people suffering minor injuries. The police said two officers were injured when a protester fired a handgun.
After a largely quiet day, the violence erupted shortly after dusk when protesters attempted to rush a police line. As the evening drew on, unarmed soldiers were called in to restore peace.
The confrontation has undone weeks of quiet attempts at rapprochement by the government of Mr Somchai, who is Mr Thaksin's brother-in-law, and given new life to fears that the differences that have paralysed Thai politics for much of the past two years are beyond reconciliation.
The protesters were trying to stop the opening session of parliament. They failed in that aim, but in a country where violence against protesters stirs dark memories of past authoritarian regimes, they managed to put a significant dent in the government's moral armour.
Mr Somchai's efforts at reconciliation received another blow with the resignation of one of his deputies, Chavalit Yongchaiyuth, who had been given the task of negotiating with PAD.
The government has the support of the rural poor, who had been largely ignored until Mr Thaksin wooed them with policies for healthcare, education and loans for village improvement, and in the process welded together a political machine that has so far proved unstoppable.
The opposition, which is mostly urban and middle class, accuses Mr Thaksin and his successors of fostering corruption, vote-buying and wanting to overthrow the king.
PAD has been losing political momentum, but the violence could reinvigorate the support base.
Protests last month triggered a two-week state of emergency in Bangkok after one man was killed.
But the army refused to enforce the decree and it was withdrawn after it damaged tourism, a major source of Thailand's income.
Mr Somchai has sought a dialogue with the PAD but there seems little prospect of the movement leaving the prime minister's offices, forcing Mr Somchai to run the country from a little-used airport
- (Financial Times service; additional reporting Reuters).