Bangkok - Thai police shot tear gas Monday at thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have besieged Parliament to block the government's reading of a policy statement and plans to amend the constitution.
"I call on our followers from all over the country to come to Bangkok to join us," said PAD leader Somsak Kohsaisuk. "The police are using tear gas, bombs and guns on us."
Several PAD followers suffered broken legs, burns and other injuries in the crackdown, Thai TV Channel 3 showed.
Bangkok - Thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) marched on the Thai Parliament Monday from Government House, which they have held hostage since August 26.
PAD leaders said they would lay siege to parliament to block a new move to amend the constitution, expected to be initiated this week when a new cabinet under recently appointed Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is scheduled to announce its policies.
The PAD is a loose coalition of groups opposed to the return to power of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup on September 19, 2006.
Bangkok - Thai shares lost 6.4 per cent of their value Monday in what was believed to be the steepest fall in Asia as investors pulled money out of regional bourses.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index ended at 551.80, down 38.25 points or 6.4 per cent.
"All markets were down today but Thailand's fell hard because there are also concerns about our political situation," said Mongkol Phuengphaetha, an analyst at Adkinsons Securities.
Bangkok - Apirak Kosayodhin, a deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party, swept Bangkok's gubernatorial election over the weekend, winning almost half of the votes in the 16- candidate race, according to official results announced Monday.
Apirak, Bangkok governor for the last four years, retained his job in Sunday's gubernatorial election, in which he won 991,018 votes, or 45.93 per cent of the total, the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) said.
Bangkok - Thai police on Sunday arrested Chamlong Srimuang, one of nine leaders of the protest movement that has occupied government headquarters for the past 41 days, to face treason charges.
Chamlong was arrested shortly after he left Government House and cast his vote in Bangkok's gubernatorial election.
Bangkok - Residents of Thailand's capital Bangkok went to the polls Sunday to elect a new governor after an eventful gubernatorial race that included one death by drowning and a punch-up between a candidate and a popular television anchor.
According to opinion polls, the front-runner in Sunday's election was Apirak Kosayodhin, the incumbent governor who is seeking a second term.
Election results will be known by midnight Sunday.
Thai police shot tear gas Monday at thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have besieged Parliament to block the government's reading of a policy statement and plans to amend the constitution.
Bangkok - Thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) marched on the Thai Parliament Monday from Government House, which they have held hostage since August 26.
Bangkok - Thai shares lost 6.4 per cent of their value Monday in what was believed to be the steepest fall in Asia as investors pulled money out of regional bourses.
Apirak Kosayodhin, a deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party, swept Bangkok's gubernatorial election over the weekend, winning almost half of the votes in the 16- candidate race, according to official results announced Monday.
Bangkok - Thai police on Sunday arrested Chamlong Srimuang, one of nine leaders of the protest movement that has occupied government headquarters for the past 41 days, to face treason charges.
