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Thai protester's death stirs up political waters

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-21 11:19

BANGKOK, Thailand -- A pre-dawn grenade attack on protesters occupying the offices of Thailand's prime minister killed one person and wounded 29, dimming hopes that the country's fractious political crisis might ease.

Piyachar (L), the wife of Janekit Kratsakhon, her son Sirachat (C) and her daughter Lipikar cry in front of the coffin of Janekit Kratsakhon who died after a grenade attack on protesters outside the metropolitan police headquarters in Bangkok November 20, 2008. The leader of a long-running anti-government street movement in Thailand called for a major rally on Sunday to oust the "murderous" administration after one of its supporters was killed in a grenade attack. [Agencies]

No one took responsibility for Thursday's blast, but the protest group, which calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, blamed the government, a charge the prime minister denied.

The alliance, which is seeking the government's resignation, said it would stage a mass rally before marching to Parliament on Sunday to protest the attack.

The last time the group marched on Parliament street battles with police left two dead and hundreds wounded. The October 7 clashes were the country's worst political violence in more than a decade.

Thursday's attack was the first fatal one at the compound since it was seized by the protesters three months ago. It came just hours after the end of a six-day mourning period for the sister of Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Political protests were suspended during the period, but the peace and unity inspired by near-universal respect for the monarchy proved to be temporary.

The protesters have vowed not to leave the grounds of Government House until the allies of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whom they accuse of corruption, are removed from power. Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is Thaksin's brother-in-law.

Thaksin's critics fear he wishes to stage a comeback with the government's help, despite being ousted by a 2006 military coup. Thaksin is in self-imposed exile to avoid jail on a conflict of interest conviction.

The prospect of Thaksin's supporters and opponents asserting themselves anew threatens to extend a political crisis that began when the alliance first called for Thaksin to step down in early 2006.

"There is a high risk of more violence and lawlessness as long as there is no political breakthrough," said Panithan Wattanayagorn, a political analyst from Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

Bangkok police chief Gen. Jongrak Jutanond said he did not know who was behind Thursday's blast, but protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul blamed the authorities.

Prime Minister Somchai denied government involvement in the attack.

The explosion occurred shortly after 3 am when a grenade landed on a tent sheltering dozens of people, said Amorn Amornratamanon, another protest leader.

Surachet Sathitniramai, the director of the Narenthorn Medical Center, said a 48-year-old man died from a shrapnel wound to the throat. Another 29 people were wounded, four of whom were hospitalized, he said.

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