Bangkok - Thai shares lost 6.88 per cent Wednesday on pessimism about the US financial crisis and 700-billion-dollar bail-out.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index ended at 492.34, down 36.37 points or 6.88 per cent, crashing past the 500-point psychological barrier.

The freefall followed a day of bloody street fighting in the capital Tuesday that left two dead and 437 injured, but the hubbub had quieted down by Wednesday.

"Political instability was less of a factor in the fall today," said Mongkol Phuangphaetha, an analyst at Adkinson Securities. "The biggest factor was Dow Jones and foreign investors pulling their money out of SET to get cash in hand." (dpa)