77 INJURED IN THAI CLASH

BANGKOK, April 13 (Bernama) -- Millions of Thais woke up Monday to
celebrate their traditional new year or Songkran in a sombre mood after at least
77 anti-government protesters and troops were injured when soldiers fired shots
and used tear gas in a crackdown ordered by embattled Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva.

The early morning clash occurred as speculation was rife that top military
brass and police were reluctant to enforce the state of emergency declared by
Abhisit on Sunday, and some sources said the premier was told by the powerful
Army chief Anupong Paojinda to dissolve Parliament to ease the situation.

Abhisit himself was almost killed by an angry crowd while leaving the
Interior Ministry Sunday morning, forcing the military to send troops to the
roads as supporters of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra prepared for a
do-or-die battle.

Thai Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn told the media that
soldiers had to use force after negotiations with the protesters broke down and
they were attacked with homemade bombs.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said so far there were no deaths and
all those injured, including with gun shots, were rushed to several nearby
hospitals.


Bangkok Mayor Sukhumbhand Paribatra had cancelled all Songkran celebrations
in the capital, including at the Khao San area which is popular with
backpackers. But still, many foreigners and locals went for a wild celebration
in Silom hours before the clash at Victory Monument.

Abhisit, who became premier in December after Thaksin's brother-in-law
Somchai Wongsawat was stripped of his post by the Constitution Court, is going
for the broke after being humiliated by the red-shirted protesters who stormed
the venue of the 14th Asean Summit in Pattaya on Saturday and forced its
cancellation.

Before Abhisit's announcement of the state of emergency, the number of
people at the Government House dropped to about 2,000 from as high as 100,000 on
Wednesday as many left to celebrate Songkran, but swelled to over 20,000 Sunday
night.

"We are ready to die...our weapons are just sticks and stones. We want real
democracy in the country, not military and old people like Prem (Tinsulanonda)
dictating us what to do," a protester, who wanted to be known as Tor only, said
when met at the Royal Plaza.

Thaksin had accused Prem, the Privy Council president and former prime
mnister as the mastermind behind his Sept 19, 2006 ouster.

Protesters gathered sticks, wood left from a recent fair and stones to
confront security forces, while check-points were mounted along the roads to the
Government House where leaders took turns to blast Abhisit and demanded his
resignation.

Hundreds of riot police and soldiers armed with automatic weapons stood
guard in the vicinity of the seat of the country's administration, many of them
at the junction leading to the Chitralada Palace.

"Please don't use force against us, we are all Thai people," a woman
protester said while giving away several bowls of rice porridge to anti-riot
policemen at an intersection leading to Prem's house.

Authorities had reported disruption to public transportation, including
train service after protesters seized more than 20 buses and blocked roads and
railway tracks to stop any crackdown by security forces.

Most of the shopping malls in the capital remained closed Monday as people
stayed away from the city centre.

-- BERNAMA