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Bangkok Braces as Troop Build-up Reported

   Ron Corben | Bangkok 21 April 2010
   Red  shirt  protesters  man  a barricade at one entrance to their main
   camp, near the U.S. and British embassies

Photo: VOA K. Dawson

   Red  shirt  protesters  man  a barricade at one entrance to their main
   camp, near the U.S. and British embassies, 21 Apr 2010

   Thailand  Wednesday is bracing for a new clash between security forces
   and anti-government protesters.
   There  are  reports of up to 10,000 soldiers being deployed in Bangkok
   to  disperse  demonstrators.  The  government warns martial law may be
   imposed if there is violence.
   In  the  financial  district,  an  army  officer  asks  the  public to
   understand why the troops are there.
   The  army  says  if it needs to, it will use tear gas, rubber bullets,
   and live ammunition.
   The   protesters,   supporters   of   former  Prime  Minister  Thaksin
   Shinawatra,  have  erected  barricades  around  their camp in the city
   center.  They  have  stockpiled  homemade  weapons  - sharpened bamboo
   spears and paving stones.
   On April 10 fighting between the military and protesters left at least
   24 people dead.
   The  protesters,  mostly  farmers  and  low-income  workers,  want the
   government  to immediately call new elections, but the ruling Democrat
   Party says it will hold elections in nine months.

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