Troops were reportedly moving on Government House where thousands of supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra were holed-up.

They want him reinstated after he was deposed in a coup in 2006. Shinawatra has called for a ‘People’s Revolution’. Thailand’s current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called for calm. ‘‘If you want to help the government bring back peace to our country you can go back to your homes so we can create a good, strong, peaceful society together,’‘ he said. The army claimed to have cleared the red-shirted demonstrators from several key areas. Troops have used live ammunition but military officials insist it was only fired into the air. The clashes came on what would normally have been one of Thailand’s most joyous holidays, the beginning of the country’s New Year.More about: Thailand

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