BANGKOK -- Protesters occupying Bangkok's two airports and the prime minister's office pleaded for police protection Sunday after an explosion injured about 50 demonstrators, four of them seriously. Chamlong Srimuang, a former army general who is one of the protest leaders, met with the chief of police in Bangkok to request that police officers join protesters in patrolling the besieged prime minister's office, where the explosion took place. The meeting came amid growing fears of violence between protesters and government supporters, who held a demonstration Sunday in the heart of Bangkok. But the meeting between Mr. Chamlong and the police also underlined the demonstrators' apparent impunity in carrying out their illegal sit-ins that have caused chaos among travelers across the region. Suchart Muenkaew, the Bangkok police chief, said the 20-minute meeting with Mr. Chamlong helped "loosen the tension and mistrust between us." Thai news Web sites carried photos of Mr. Chamlong sitting at a table with smiling senior officers. In October, Mr. Chamlong and eight other leaders were arrested for the raid and occupation of the prime minister's office but were released on bail. A police request to cancel their bail was rejected by the attorney general's chambers on Friday, reinforcing the widely held notion in Thailand that the protesters have powerful backers among the Thai elite who are preventing a crackdown on the demonstrators.
Chamlong Srimuang, a former army general who is one of the protest leaders, met with the chief of police in Bangkok to request that police officers join protesters in patrolling the besieged prime minister's office, where the explosion took place.
The meeting came amid growing fears of violence between protesters and government supporters, who held a demonstration Sunday in the heart of Bangkok.
But the meeting between Mr. Chamlong and the police also underlined the demonstrators' apparent impunity in carrying out their illegal sit-ins that have caused chaos among travelers across the region.
Suchart Muenkaew, the Bangkok police chief, said the 20-minute meeting with Mr. Chamlong helped "loosen the tension and mistrust between us." Thai news Web sites carried photos of Mr. Chamlong sitting at a table with smiling senior officers.
In October, Mr. Chamlong and eight other leaders were arrested for the raid and occupation of the prime minister's office but were released on bail. A police request to cancel their bail was rejected by the attorney general's chambers on Friday, reinforcing the widely held notion in Thailand that the protesters have powerful backers among the Thai elite who are preventing a crackdown on the demonstrators.
BANGKOK (AFP) - Thousands of red-clad government supporters rallied in downtown Bangkok Sunday, stoking tensions after grenade attacks wounded dozens from a rival group that has occupied Thailand's main airports. The demonstration added to the political turmoil paralysing the kingdom, which has left foreign nations scrambling to evacuate around 100,000 tourists left stranded by the anti-government airport blockade. Wearing red headbands emblazoned with the words "No Coup", backers of the current administration and of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra raised fears of violence by rallying for the first time in the six-day stand-off. "We gather here today to protect the democratic system, to say we don't want a coup," said Jatuporn Prompan, a leader of the pro-government group known as the "Red Shirts", adding that they would stay there until Thursday. Police said around 4,000 supporters had gathered. The government's failure to end the occupation of Bangkok's two airports by its foes in the royalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has sparked speculation of a repeat of the putsch that toppled Thaksin in 2006. The PAD -- whose supporters wear yellow in what they say is a symbol of their desire to protect Thailand's revered monarchy -- have refused to budge until Thaksin's brother-in-law, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, resigns. The demo took place about five kilometres (three miles) away from where a grenade attack early on Sunday wounded 49 PAD supporters who have occupied the nearby prime minister's cabinet offices since August. "Whatever happens, we will fight," senior PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang told reporters at the site earlier.
The demonstration added to the political turmoil paralysing the kingdom, which has left foreign nations scrambling to evacuate around 100,000 tourists left stranded by the anti-government airport blockade.
Wearing red headbands emblazoned with the words "No Coup", backers of the current administration and of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra raised fears of violence by rallying for the first time in the six-day stand-off.
"We gather here today to protect the democratic system, to say we don't want a coup," said Jatuporn Prompan, a leader of the pro-government group known as the "Red Shirts", adding that they would stay there until Thursday.
Police said around 4,000 supporters had gathered.
The government's failure to end the occupation of Bangkok's two airports by its foes in the royalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has sparked speculation of a repeat of the putsch that toppled Thaksin in 2006.
The PAD -- whose supporters wear yellow in what they say is a symbol of their desire to protect Thailand's revered monarchy -- have refused to budge until Thaksin's brother-in-law, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, resigns.
The demo took place about five kilometres (three miles) away from where a grenade attack early on Sunday wounded 49 PAD supporters who have occupied the nearby prime minister's cabinet offices since August.
"Whatever happens, we will fight," senior PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang told reporters at the site earlier.
