Thai authorities say a pre-dawn blast has injured at least eight
anti-government protesters in Bangkok near the site of a similar attack
two days ago.
Sources in Bangkok say unidentified assailants
on a motorcycle early Saturday threw a grenade at a checkpoint manned
by protesters outside the prime minister's office compound. Protesters
led by the People's Alliance for Democracy have occupied the compound
for nearly three months.
On Thursday, a grenade attack on the
grounds of the compound killed one protester and injured 23 others. No
one has claimed responsibility for the blast, and protesters have
refused to allow police to enter the compound to investigate the
incident.
PAD leaders blame the government for the attack and
are organizing a mass rally on Sunday to protest what they say are the
government's daily brutal crackdowns. Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat
denies the accusations.
On Friday, Thailand's main public sector
unions threatened to strike nationwide next week if the country's
current administration does not step down. The group of unions urged
its nearly 200,000 workers to join an anti-government rally planned for
Sunday in Bangkok.
Protesters have been calling for the
administration to step down since they began occupying Thailand's
Government House compound in late August. They say the current
administration is too close to deposed Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra.
The standoff has paralyzed the government and led to fears it will plunge Thailand into economic chaos.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
