The Wire

Thailand’s 6 week political stand off has again taken a violent turn when police fired off tear gas and smoke bombs to disperse protesters outside parliament today. Reports suggest that 65 people were wounded, seven of which are in a critical condition. The anti-government demonstrators are headed by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (or PAD) who do not recognize the legitimacy of the Thai government. They believe that just like his predecessor, new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is a proxy for deposed ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra. With Somchai scheduled to announce a key policy statement in parliament house today, protesters marched down from the besieged government house overnight to thwart him.