Blast kills 1, wounds 23 at Thai PM's office
21-NOV-2008 Intellasia | thejakartapost.com
Nov 21, 2008 - 7:00:00 AM
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| Thai anti-government protesters react after the bomb exploded at their protesting ground of government house Thursday, November 20, 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP) |
A grenade attack on anti-government protesters occupying the Thai prime minister's office killed one person and wounded at least 23 early Thursday, an army official and protesters said.
There have been several bomb attacks against the anti-government movement but Thursday's blast was the first deadly attack at the government House compound, which the protesters have occupied for three months.
The explosion occurred shortly after 3 a.m. while a band performed onstage on the front lawn of the prie minister's office, said Amorn Amornratamanon, one of the protest leaders. The grenade landed on a giant tent near the stage that was sheltering dozens of people, he said.
"I was listening to the music when I heard a big bang. I ran to the stage and turned back to see several people lying on the ground,' said Wimonwan Pranratsmee, a 42-year-old woman who was among the wounded.
Army Gen. Prathomphong Kesornsuk, who was at the scene, said the device was an M-79 grenade.
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| Security staffs of the anti-government protesters examine the site where a bomb exploded at their protesting ground of government house in Bangkok, Thailand Thursday, November 20, 2008. A grenade attack on anti-government protesters occupying the Thai prime minister's office killed one person and wounded at least 23 early Thursday, an army official and protesters said. (AP Photo by Apichart Weerawong) |
The protesters, calling themselves the People's Alliance for Democracy, have occupied the grounds of government House since late August. The alliance is a mix of royalists, wealthy and middle-class urban residents and union activists.
Protesters are trying to prevent former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from returning to power following his ouster in a 2006 coup. They say the current leader, Somchai Wongsawat, who is a brother-in-law of Thaksin, is his proxy.
Somchai has been unable to enter government House and now works out of an office at Bangkok's old international airport.
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