THE TELEGRAPH: Thailand has imposed three more days of curfew in Bangkok and 23 other provinces as the military extended its operations to crush an anti-government protest movement.
One day after the army moved into the Red Shirt protestor encampment in the centre of the capital, sparking a night of violence in which 35 buildings were torched, residents of Bangkok were struggling to regain some sort of normality.
But the extension of the first curfew in 18 years was a sign that the chaos of recent months and days had not been banished by the extensive army deployment.
In announcing the curfew would stretch until Sunday, officials said rioting of the part 24 hours had been systematically planned. Col Sansern Kawekamnerd, an army spokesman, said a cache of bombs, "war ammunition" and guns including AK-47 and M-16 automatic rifles in the crackdown had been found at opposition strongholds.
"Such violence couldn't happen without systematic planning," said government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn. "The security forces will continue operations to restore order and arrest those involved in terrorism." >>> Damien McElroy in Bangkok | Thursday, May 20, 2010
