PM Abhisit Holds ‘Terrorists’ Responsible for Unrest in Bangkok

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has blamed ‘terrorists’ for civil unrest in Bangkok this weekend in which 21 people were killed and over 800 wounded, said media reports.

“From the overall picture we clearly found that terrorists used pro-democracy protestors to incite the unrest, hoping for total change in our country,” Vejjajiva was quoted as saying in his address televised nationally.

“We have to differentiate innocent people from terrorists and then we can map out further measures,” he was quoted as saying.

The prime minister said that the demands of peaceful protestors should be met through politics, reports said.

On Saturday, violence triggered off as troops attempted to clear one of the two sites in  the city centre that the ‘Red Shirt’ protestors have being occupying for a month.

As violence intensified, gunshots were heard around the city with both sides blaming other for using live ammunition.

According to officials, some people among demonstrators even used rifles and grenades.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said: “I didn’t think among protestors there would be people using heavy weapons, such as M16 and AK47 assault rifles and grenades. The military also suffered heavy losses.”

In the meanwhile, members of the Red Shirts paraded the bodies of dead protestors and empty coffins in the morning, said reports.

The protestors pledged to carry on their attempt to overthrow Vejjajiva’s government, reports said.