Third party blamed for Bangkok's violence Feb 18

BANGKOK, February 19 (TNA) - The caretaker government-run Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has expressed its condolences for the death of five people and the injuries of nearly 70 others in a clash between police and anti-government protesters at Phan Fa Bridge in Bangkok on Tuesday, blaming the loss on armed protesters and a third party. CMPO Director Police Captain Chalerm Yubamrung extended his condolences and aired the blame on Wednesday, but declining to give any comment whether soldiers took part in the clash. Police Captain Chalerm, who is also Caretaker Labor Minister, said, however, that protesters had war weapons, including M79 grenade launchers which are not generally available in Thailand. The CMPO chief admitted that police officers were upset because they were prohibited from using weapons against opponents who were heavily and considerably armed, but he insisted that the CMPO would continue with its peace restoration attempts. Meanwhile, Tharit Pengdit, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and a CMPO member, stressed that armed men were among demonstrators and used powerful war weapons including grenades, sniper rifles, pistols and tear gas against police, which killed five police and civilians and injured 68 people. Tharit accused anti-government protest leaders of supporting the use of powerful weapons, while riot police had only riot gear and guns firing rubber bullets and all stages of their operations to handle demonstrators were fully covered by reporters, starting from negotiations. Tharit denied that police used weapons to disperse demonstrators, as accused by protest leaders, claiming that soldiers rescued injured police and civilians but some protesters obstructed the rescue missions.(TNA)