Guard shot dead on way back from demonstration

A guard of the protest movement was killed and four demonstrators injured yesterday afternoon when demonstrators from two protest groups came under fire on their way back to their base.

The two groups, the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NSPRT) and the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), had called on officials at the government complex on Chaeng Watthana Road to stop working for the Yingluck government. They returned to their bases: the NSPRT to Chamai Maruchet Bridge near Government House and the PDRC to Lumpini Park.

As the convoy reached the Expressway, an unknown person, believed to be from a building, fired into a truck carrying protesters and guards, and a bus. The guard was shot in the head; he died in hospital.

The attack was not entirely unexpected. Nasser Yeema, head of security for the NSPRT, says he heard before the departure from Chaeng Watthanaweg that red shirts would try to attack the convoy. The route was then explored.

Nasser refers to a message on Facebook, posted by a red shirt from the hard core of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). According to this report, a team led by a well-known red shirt leader from Pathum Thani would be waiting for the convoy on its way back.

Shortly after the attack, a second message followed in which the writer denied any involvement with the attack. He wrote, "I already warned you this morning not to take the Expressway, but it has nothing to do with me."

PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan urged police to summon both for questioning. Since the start of the political unrest in late November last year, 21 people have been killed and 734 injured, according to figures from the municipal Erawan Medical Emergency Center.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Apr 2, 2014)