Thai protesters told to go under cover

The government said it still hoped to resolve the problem peacefully, despite a breakdown in negotiations, but could not allow the protests that have paralysed a key part of Bangkok to go on indefinitely.

While there was no violence in the central Bangkok shopping area where protesters remained camped for a 24th day, an explosion injured eight people late yesterday near the home of former Prime Minister Banharn Silapa-archa, who is allied to the ruling coalition.

At least 26 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 others injured since the Red Shirts began occupying Bangkok's commercial centre more than a month ago, closing down five-star hotels and shopping malls.

Thousands of Red Shirts who were camped in the protest enclave yesterday heeded a call by protest leaders to change into ordinary clothes so they would not be visible if security forces move to clear the area.

The strategy was also aimed at helping protesters coming in from rural provinces get past military and police checkpoints.

Meanwhile, a group of counter-protesters known as the Yellow Shirts stepped up demands that authorities crack down on the demonstrators, implying they might take matters into their own hands.

The Red Shirts consist mainly of rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-democracy activists who opposed the military coup that ousted him in 2006.

They believe Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government – backed by the urban elite – is illegal because military pressure and complex legal manoeuvring brought it to power.