"Downtown Bangkok became a flaming battleground recently as an army assault forced anti-government protest leaders to surrender, enraging followers who shot grenades and set fire to landmark buildings, cloaking the skyline in black smoke. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva tried to reassure the country that the government would restore calm but fires spread through the capital. His government declared a nighttime curfew, and he said in his televised address troops had been given the go-ahead to shoot at suspected arsonists. The troops had moved earlier in the day against thousands of Red Shirt protesters, mostly rural poor, who had camped behind barricades in the capital's premier shopping and residential district for weeks, demanding Abhisit call immediate elections. The army used live ammunition to disperse them, drawing fire from militant Red Shirts. Officials confirmed five protesters and an Italian news photographer were confirmed killed and about 60 wounded." - From Sacbee.com: photo blog of world events.
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