Protesters shun talks after deadly Bangkok clashes

BANGKOK — Anti-government protesters said Sunday they would not negotiate an end to violence in the Thai capital after savage clashes between activists and soldiers that killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds.

Thousands of "Red Shirt" protesters swarmed back into an area that had briefly been taken by government forces Saturday night. Bullet casings, rocks and pools of blood littered the streets as protesters showed off a pile of weapons captured from the troops, including rifles and heavy caliber machine-gun rounds.

"There is no more negotiation. Red Shirts will never negotiate with murderers," a key protest leader, Jatuporn Prompan, announced from a makeshift stage. "Although the road is rough and full of obstacles, it's our duty to honor the dead by bringing democracy to this country."

First image: Thai security forces fire rubber bullets at anti-government demonstrators during a clash Saturday, April 10, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. Thai security forces launched a large-scale crackdown Saturday on anti-government demonstrators who have been staging disruptive protests in the Thai capital for the past month, vowing to clear one of their main encampments by nightfall. Scores of people have been hurt in street clashes.

Second image: Anti-government demonstrators run away from tear gas during a clash against Thai security forces, Saturday, April 10, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. Thai security forces launched a large-scale crackdown Saturday on anti-government demonstrators who have been staging disruptive protests in the Thai capital for the past month, vowing to clear one of their main encampments by nightfall. Scores of people have been hurt in street clashes.

Third image: Anti-government demonstrators confront soldiers during clashes Saturday, April 10, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. Thai security forces launched a large-scale crackdown Saturday on anti-government demonstrators who have been staging disruptive protests in the Thai capital for the past month, vowing to clear one of their main encampments by nightfall. Scores of people have been hurt in street clashes.

Fourth image: Anti-government demonstrators gather Sunday, April 11, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. Savage clashes between protesters and Thai soldiers killed people before both sides retreated, no closer to ending a month-long occupation of parts of the capital by demonstrators demanding new elections.

This is a major plot, an attempted coup-d'etat by self-serving ousted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra to regain power, escape justice along with his ill-gotten gains.

The UDD red shirts are merely his pawns, his useful idiots. They are predominantly composed of the rural poor of northern and north-eastern Thailand.

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