Thailand's 'Wall Street' closed by grenade attacks

Many banks, offices, restaurants and a major shopping complex were

closed along Silom Road, known as Thailand's Wall Street.

Overnight attacks on Thursday had involved five military grenades shot from near where anti-government Red Shirt protesters have been encamped for weeks.

The blasts struck areas where counter-demonstrators gathered, killing one person and wounding 86.

Thousands of Red Shirts have been camped on Bangkok's streets since mid-March.

The country's powerful military has warned them that time is running out to clear the streets or face a crackdown. One security chief said that anyone involved in "terrorism" could face the death penalty.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced concern that the situation could escalate and called for talks.

Both the US and the UK have advised against all but essential travel to Bangkok.

The latest violence occurred in Bangkok's financial district.

Red Shirts have built barricades of tires and bamboo stakes, behind which they have built a virtual village complete with tents, canteens and portable toilets.

Five-star hotels, shopping malls and office buildings in the Silom Road area have closed.

The street houses bank headquarters and offices, but its restaurants and nightlife are also popular with tourists..

On Thursday it looked more like a war zone with grenade blasts lighting the night sky. Some rushed the wounded to safety as riot police and armed soldiers swarmed the area.

Protest leader Nattawut Saikua said he spent the night in talks with Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu, but that there appeared to be no resolution to the crisis.

The Red Shirts consist mainly of poor rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-democracy activists who believe the current government is illegitimate.