At least five people were killed and dozens injured in clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters here on Sunday, as Thai police fired tear gas and water cannon to prevent demonstrators from storming the Government House to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The protests turned violent yesterday, with five people being killed inside Ramkhamhaeng University in clashes that continued till this morning.
Deputy Police Commissioner-General Veerapong Chiewpreecha said that five people, including a 21-year-old student and a government supporter, were killed inside the varsity.
Chiewpreecha said the exact number of injured could not be established, though reports said 45 people were wounded. He said a defused grenade was found inside the campus.
Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan has claimed that four government supporters were among the five victims. About 2,000 students trapped inside the university were evacuated by police this morning.
Meanwhile, anti-government protesters, demanding the resignation of the Yingluck government, marched towards the Government House to seize all ministries and thereby paralyse government functioning.
At least three tear gas canisters were fired at protesters at Chamai Maruchet Bridge as they were trying to march to Government House.
Meanwhile, Suthep Thaugsuban, a former opposition Democrat MP, told his supporters to “move quick” to prevent officers from getting prepared.
“Today is an important day. We’ll go to anywhere that is important to the government and we’ll paralyse it from tomorrow onwards because nobody will be able to work tomorrow,” he said.
Anti-government protesters today took control of Thai PBS telvision station while another group managed to break through barriers to enter the compound of the Interior Ministry.