Reds 'use women, children as shields'

[Mekong]

There are armed people among the red-shirt protesters at Ratchaprasong intersection and the anti-government core members are using children, women and old people as shields, Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation and army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on Monday.

 

Col Sansern said troops have the right to use weapons for self-protection after the red-shirts attacked them with sharpened poles and stones in recent clashes. The violent confrontations on April 10 resulted in 25 deaths and left more than 800 others injured.

 

Soldiers died from cerebral edema (a swelling of the brain} after being hit on the head by thrown rocks, he said.

 

"There are armed people at the protest venue, but the CRES will not reveal the exact number as it could cause panic.

 

"Troops and police are checking the details of former field soldiers at the rally site," Col Sansern said.

 

He called on the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leaders not to hide behind children, women and old people - describing it as a shameful act.

 

He said images from the April 10 bloodshed showed that there were people [among the protesters] shooting and hurling grenades.

 

"To protect the demonstrators from danger, soldiers have been deployed to prevent people with war weapons from using tall buildings around Ratchaprasong as their attack bases," he said.

 

Col Sansern said the CRES meeting on Monday morning was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister overseeing security Suthep Thaugsuban.

 

He said the centre had explained the details of the planned operation to security chiefs.

 

"The government will continue employing soft to hard measures in accordance with international standards, appropriate measures will be used to prevent people from inciting unrest, and their actions against the protesters must clearly indicate that they are not life threatening," he said.

 

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[Flashermac]

<< He called on the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leaders not to hide behind children, women and old people - describing it as a shameful act. >>

 

Have they run out of monks?

 

 

<< He said images from the April 10 bloodshed showed that there were people [among the protesters] shooting and hurling grenades. >>

 

So the Thai Army has no trained snipers worthy of the name? Plenty of high buildings around there to fire from.