118 hurt in big Bangkok rally

By SUTIN WANNABOVORN

Bangkok

Oct. 7: Thai riot police clashed on Tuesday with thousands of protesters who barricaded Parliament and vowed to block the government from leaving, a bold new tactic that intensified a six-week political crisis.

More than 100 people were wounded including two protesters who had parts of their legs blown off by what police said was exploding teargas canisters.

The chaos prompted deputy prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to resign and resulted in new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat sneaking out of Parliament to avoid being spotted by angry protesters demanding his resignation.

Protesters led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy have occupied the grounds of the Prime Minister’s office since late August.

They expanded their protest overnight by marching to the nearby Parliament, and erected barbed wire and tire barricades to block Mr Somchai from delivering his first policy speech to legislators. Riot police moved in after sunrise and fired multiple rounds of tear gas canisters to clear a path for the government and legislators. Mr Somchai opened the parliamentary session after a 90-minute delay but as he spoke chaos escalated outside the building.

Anti-government protesters regrouped and barricaded all four entrances to Parliament, saying their goal was to block top officials from leaving the building.

The police fired more tear gas canisters to disperse a group of demonstrators armed with wooden batons and slingshots, who were throwing firecrackers at the police. The Opposition Democracy Party boycotted the speech.

After the parliamentary session ended, legislators said they were too afraid to leave the building.

"We are under siege now," said Kuthep Saikrajang, a spokesman of the ruling People’s Power Party.

—AP