Thai PM pleads for end to protests

BANGKOK - Thailand's prime minister has pleaded for an end to two months of street protests paralysing the capital, and an acceptance of his reconciliation plan that has been stalled by a fresh outbreak of violence.

Hopes that the prolonged protests by so-called Red Shirt demonstrators would end without further bloodshed were dashed when two attacks on Friday night killed two policemen and wounded 13 people. The violence was just outside the protest occupation zone in Bangkok's prime commercial district, which has seen its upscale shopping centres and five-star hotels shuttered for weeks.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva went on nationwide television to ask all parties to accept his five-point reconciliation plan, which includes new elections to be held on November 14.

"Don't hesitate. If you agree with the reconciliation, quit the demonstration and start working together," he said. He described those instigating violence to undermine peace efforts as "terrorists" who would not be granted amnesty. He also promised to address some of the grievances of the protesters, including rural poverty and social injustice.

The Red Shirts, who have refused to leave the protest site, said they that would unveil their own proposal to resolve the crisis in the next few days, pledging it would be flexible and open to negotiations. Nattawut Saikua, a protest leader, said he agreed with the government that the reconciliation process should be finalised by May 15.

But government spokesman Panithan Wattanayagorn earlier said if the protesters didn't end their occupation of Bangkok's commercial district "some people who don't wish to see reconciliation take place may take this opportunity to launch another attack".

He described the unknown assailants responsible for several attacks in the capital as "ill-intentioned people who used terror to try to ruin the conciliatory atmosphere."

Violence tied to the protests - including clashes between demonstrators and security forces - has killed 29 people and wounded nearly 1,000.

The protesters say they agree in principle with Abhisit's proposal to dissolve Parliament and hold new polls - their key demands - but want more specific details including the exact date for the dissolution.

"One mouth speaks of reconciliation while the other 99 mouths keep talking about cracking down," Weng Tojirakarn, a protest leader, said.

He called on the government to revoke emergency decrees that give the military powers to restore order and that ban public gatherings.

As Weng spoke, a long column of pickup trucks loaded with protesters arrived from northeastern Thailand to reinforce the Red Shirt "occupation zone." Local media estimated that about 5,000 fresh protesters arrived on Saturday.

Late on Friday night, the relative calm that had prevailed for several days was broken by more violence near where grenades exploded on April 22 and killed one person and wounded dozens. The area, a short distance from the Red Shirt encampment, is guarded by many police and soldiers.

Slightly more than two hours later, about three explosions could be heard in an adjacent street that fronts a park, with police officers saying they believed them to be grenades.

The official Erawan Emergency Centre said two policemen were killed. Most of those wounded were believed to be police.

Other activists who oppose the Red Shirts have denounced the government's peace offering as a capitulation and have demanded that Abhisit clear their encampments or step down.

The standoff in Bangkok has hammered the economy, decimated the tourist industry and ground government machinery to a near halt.

The Red Shirts include the rural and urban poor as well as pro-democracy advocates. Many are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a populist leader who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and charged with corruption and abuse of power.

The protesters say Abhisit's coalition government came to power illegitimately through manipulation of the courts and the backing of the powerful military.

- AP