Thai poll: Several wounded in Bangkok pre-election shooting
Eyewitness Nick Nostitz: "There were moments when I thought I'm not going to survive it"
BBC News | 1 Feb. 2014
At
least six people have reportedly suffered gunshot wounds in the Thai
capital, Bangkok, amid anti-government clashes ahead of Sunday's
election.
The violence erupted during a stand-off between supporters and opponents of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The shots were fired as demonstrators blockaded a building
where ballot papers are being stored, in an attempt to prevent their
distribution.
Protesters want the government replaced by an unelected "people's council".
At the scene
For most of the day the atmosphere in the northern Bangkok
suburb of Laksi was tense, but calm. The 200 or so protesters blockading
a building to prevent the distribution of ballot papers were aware
that, a short distance away, a group of government supporters of about
equal number, were gathering to protest against the obstruction of the
election.
We spoke to the leaders on both sides. They insisted that
their intentions were peaceful. But by late afternoon gunfire was being
exchanged, sending journalists and bystanders scattering for cover. From
a safe distance away we could hear sporadic bursts from handguns and
automatic weapons, lasting for a couple of hours or so.
It eventually died down, the injured were taken to hospital
and security forces appeared to have secured the area. The violence was
intense and, although localised, it gives a glimpse of the potential for
the acrimony surrounding this election to descend into chaos.
The opposition has vowed to boycott Sunday's poll, which is likely to be won by Ms Yingluck.
Demonstrators accuse the prime minister of being under the
control of her brother, ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who
lives in self-imposed exile.
Troops deployed
Saturday's shooting incident took place in Bangkok's Laksi district, a stronghold of the prime minister's Pheu Thai party.
Sustained bursts of gunfire ricocheted off buildings after a
tense stand-off between both sides, the BBC's Jonathan Head, in Bangkok,
reports.
A number of people could be seen lying injured on the road,
as exchanges of gunfire continued, forcing reporters and passers-by to
flee for cover, our correspondent says.
One man is said to have been seriously wounded after being shot in the neck.
It was not immediately clear whether those struck were government supporters or opponents.
Before the attack, protesters had attacked a car and set off a series of small bombs.
Thailand's crisis explained in 60 seconds
The opposition movement - whose supporters are known as "yellow
shirts" - has vowed to disrupt the election as much as possible, by
preventing ballot papers from reaching polling stations.
Thailand's troubles
- Sep 2006: Army ousts Thaksin Shinawatra
- Dec 2007: Pro-Thaksin party wins election
- Aug 2008: Thaksin flees Thailand
- Dec 2008: Huge anti-Thaksin protests; court bans ruling party; Abhisit Vejjajiva comes to power
- Mar-May 2010: Huge pro-Thaksin protests; dozens killed in army crackdown
- Jul 2011: Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of Thaksin, elected PM
- Nov 2013: Anti-government protests
- Dec 2013: Ms Yingluck calls election
- Jan 2014: Ms Yingluck declares state of emergency
Meanwhile pro-government groups -
or "red shirts" - have been ordered to monitor the poll, but not
confront the protesters, for fear that violence would jeopardise the
election.
The army earlier said it would increase the number of troops
deployed in Bangkok for the polls on Sunday. Some 10,000 police will
also patrol the streets.
Abuse of power
The protests began in November, after the lower house backed a
controversial amnesty bill that critics said would allow Ms Yingluck's
brother to return.
Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in September 2006, accused of corruption and abuse of power.
He faces a two-year jail sentence if he returns to Thailand, after being convicted in absentia on a conflict-of-interest charge.
Ms Yingluck called early elections to quell the unrest, but demonstrators have vowed to block the poll from going ahead.
Journalists and passers-by sought cover while shots were being fired in Laksi district, a government stronghold
Before the exchange of fire, demonstrators were filmed attacking a car
Protesters have vowed to disrupt the election on Sunday as much as possible
Anti-government groups have been blockading buildings where ballot papers are being held
Correspondents say one election commissioner has predicted that
10% of polling stations will not be able to open at all on Sunday.
Because of disruption to candidate registration, the
elections will also not deliver enough MPs for a quorum in parliament,
meaning that by-elections will be needed before a government can be
approved, extending the instability.
Last week, there were chaotic scenes as protesters tried to stop advance voters from casting their ballots.
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