Thousands of anti-government protesters trying to break into government house are now in confrontation with the police who have used tear gas to prevent further incursions. The police have declared that they will reclaim the Ministry of Finance and the Government Complex, which the protesters have been occupying for the past three days. 

 

The confrontation near Chamaimaruchet Bridge has been intense since 11 am when the police set up barricades and razor wire to defend Government House and the protesters tried to break in. 

 

At the Metropolitan Police Headquarters, the protesters also attempted to break in but the police fired tear gas in response.

 

Erawan Emergency Medical Centre reports at least four deaths and 57 injuries since yesterday’s shootings and violent clashes on Ramkhamhaeng Road. The incidents took place near Rajamangala stadium where the anti-government protesters confronted red shirts who were rallying nearby in the stadium. 

 

Police have now cleared the area of the stadium and along Ramkhamhaeng Road since the red shirts called off the rally in the morning. Tension from hundreds of anti-government groups still lingered in the afternoon when a double-decker bus was set alight near the stadium. Police found the remains of bones, but said they would need to be checked by the forensics unit to confirm if the bones were human.  

 

After successfully pressuring all free TV stations except NBT to relay the Blue Sky signal and stop broadcasting government news, the protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban at 4.30 pm called for a nation-wide strike on Monday to support the anti-government movement. 

 

Another rally around noon led by State Enterprise union leader Khomsan Tongsiri seized the Ministry of Interior, while reports said the police had prepared four firetrucks to handle the protesters.  

 

Later at around 2pm, hundreds of anti-government protesters led by Isara Somchai, former Deputy General Secretary of the Democrat party and Ratchdaphon Keawsanit, a Democrat MP, seized the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry of Commerce was also taken over by a protest led by Network of Silom Businesspeople.