Jamal AndressAnti-government protests in Thailand have escalated with multiple reports of deaths among political rivals in the capital city.
Many media outlets are reporting 'at least one person' was killed in a fatal shooting but The New York Times has reported four deaths and fifty more wounded.
For the past week, protests remained relatively peaceful with rival groups staying away from each other during the protests. (Via Euronews)
But the BBC reports that all changed Saturday.
"Government supporters on this bus the target of a ruthless attack."
"A gunman had fired into a university where hundreds of antigovernment protesters had retreated."
The tensions rose when anti-government supporters gathered outside of a Bangkok stadium where a pro-goverment rally was being held.
According to the Los Angeles Times, "Using sticks, stones and chunks of concrete, several hundred protesters, many of them students, took aim at government supporters some 50 yards away ... what sounded like gunfire rang out. “Run back,” shouted some of the 60 or so anti-government students."
Sunday is the eighth day of protests which began with antigovernment protesters, known as the yellow shirts, hoping to oust the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. (Via RT)
Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted from power by a military coup in 2006 but the yellow shirts believe he is still pulling the political strings of his prime minister sister.
According to CNN a rejected amnesty bill which would have "extended a pardon to Thaksin and opened the door for his return" sparked the protest. The bill was rejected back in November but since then the yellow shirts have called for the prime minister to step down.
Though the military hasn't officially been deployed to disperse the yellow shirts, a national police spokeswoman says more than 2,700 military personnel will be helping with security.
