Thai Deadlock Continues, Protesters Block Roads in Many Provinces

With protests in many provinces and a late-night explosion in Bangkok, the political crisis in Thailand has deepened, reported BBC.

Last night, nearly eight people were injured in a grenade attack on the home of a law-maker allied to the ruling coalition, report said.

Red-shirt protestors are reported to have blocked roads outside Bangkok to stop police from reinforcing colleagues, said report.

Since March 14, the red-shirts have camped out in Bangkok and on Sunday the Prime Minister Abhisit turned down a new offer of talks, report said.

Abhisit promised that Bangkok’s commercial district would be cleared of protesters but adding, “The process, the measures, how and when it will be done we cannot disclose because it depends on several things.”

Meanwhile, protest leaders told followers to take off their red shirts so that they are less visible to security forces if a crack-down comes, said report.

In the morning, the situation in Bangkok was said to be uneasy but calm.

The confrontation started after red-shit protestors occupied part of Bangkok’s historic district.

They have since moved to the commercial district and currently occupy a swathe of the city stretching south to the business district, living behind highly-fortified barricades.

An attempt by the government to clear one area on 10 April left 25 people dead and hundreds injured.

Grenade attacks last week that killed another person and injured dozens of commuters further raised tensions in the capital.