Red Shirt Leaders Want to Negotiate
A key leader of the red shirt anti-government movement, Nattawut Saikua, has issued a statement to say that the red shirts are prepared for unconditional negotiations with the Thai government in a bid to end the chaos in Bangkok. Yesterday, Nattawut had been demanding an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops and peace talks to be brokered by the United Nations. Today’s rhetoric from Nattawut has been far more conciliatory and offers a glimmer of hope in the crisis. The Thai authorities had earlier issued a time deadline of 15.00 for the women, children and elderly to leave the protest zone.
The Thai government have made it clear that they are dealing with the crisis in Bangkok and will not accept direct involvement from the United Nations or any other international group. Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would listen to the international community, but he has also explained that the situation is complex and involves a number of factors. In particular, Abhisit pointed to the outside influence of exiled former leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, who is widely perceived as the main figure behind the protests.
Earlier this morning, it was announced that the renegade army general known as Seh Daeng, had died in hospital. A friend and ally of Thaksin Shinawatra, the rebel army man succumbed to injuries sustained when he was shot last week by an unknown gunman
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