There have been reports about small skirmishes in provinces. The country now seemed to be heading broader resistance against the army backed government and their assault on popular movement. Some described it as ‘undeclared-civil war’.

“I cannot bear this government, which has used weapons against unarmed protesters. Look, we have no weapons in our hands except those things – rocks and tires – That’s why I came here”, said Pairoj Thanomthan (41), salesman from Bang Na district, who travelled long kilometers to Din Daeng to join protest on May 16, despite much of transport has been stopped.

To the Red frontlines in both Din Daeng and Bon Kai, tires were endlessly brought to be burned. In a bit surprising, the primitive ‘weapons’ are somehow effective to reduce death toll, which has been rising though, as protesters were hiding themselves from bullets in black smokes. No one at the army side has been killed or hurt by Reds’ weapons until the full out operation was launched on May 19.

A red shirts protester shot in his head to death on May 19 near Saladaeng Intersection. (Photo by Lee Yu Kyung)

Several soldiers were injured as grenade attack took place in Lumbini park on May 19 while the army's crackdown on Red Shirts protesters were under way (Photo by Lee Yu Kyung)

The first injury on army side took place when M79 fired grenade fell near Lumbini Park between 1 – 2 pm of May 19. Four soldiers and one journalist were injured in this attack. This is the time right after a heavy gun fire between armed forces and the presumably same elements of ‘the men in black clad’ of April 10 or ‘hardcore Red Shirts’ as some media portrayed. However it was difficult to tell who exactly were firing all the bullets. During the heavy gun fire followed by grenade attacks, most of journalists on the ground -except few – choosed to fall down on the floor as the fire sounds were so heavy.

Weeks passed since the darkest day in Thai history. Bloody streets have been cleaned up by groups of gaggling Bangkokians during the first weekend after the crackdown. Normalcy was back to the city, the government has claimed. Yet a lot of things remain just murky, particularly ‘men in black clad’ at Red side and ‘snipers’ at most likely army side, among whom were supposed to be culprits on mass killing at temple in the evening of May 19 as well as several deaths of civilians.

Saladaeng barricade set up by Red Shirts has been bulldozed. (Photo by Lee Yu Kyung)

Moreoever the event of bloody crackdown has addressed nothing, but caused further rebellion sentiment among Red Shirts movement. Despite the leaders’ surrender, ordinary protesters were still on defiant mood. Whereas the authority has attracted broader criticism for gagging the press and heavy-hand measures on opponents, including the days-long detention of the respected historian Suthachai Yimprasert without charge  before releasing him on Tuesday. There are reportedly at least dozens of missing protesters after military operation. Some Red Shirts ‘prisoners’, who were blindfolded and whose hands were tied behind were taken in a police vehicle from Sarasin intersection to somewhere on May 19. Yet the authority has refused to reveal basic informations about the detainees, creating ‘black out’ of the missing and detainees alike.

Deadly crashed but defiant

Red Shirts, who are mainly from rural poor and urban working class, is said to be a byproduct of 2006 military coup. As pro-democracy, anti-coup activists and progressive elements have handed with the movement, however, it has been developed as a popular people’s movement, which was never seen in Thai history. They have radio stations and magazines and Red political school. Whether their struggle against military-backed regime would eventually bring the democratic election or not could be a turning point for democratization of Thailand, which has faced huge setback by the 2006 military coup.

“It’s not necessarily a class division or even class war to the Marxist terms, as lots of middle class, intellectuals and some business sectors joined the Red movement too. You can say, all walks of lives have been joining now Red Shirts”

Sarite Klamapibun(38), lecturer of ‘democracy and human rights’ in Mehidol university has observed the Red Shirt movement.

“Ruling elites in this country never conceded their privileged power, ignoring the rural poor as like second class. Their votes have been ignored by military coup and royalists’ protest. What Red Shirts demand is a democratic rights. We, student activists are with Reds now. Thailand needs change” said Anuthee Dejthevaporn (22), secretary general of Student Federation of Thailand (or SFT). He, himself, has had political conflict with his family, who are mostly side with royalists yellow.

Just days before the latest assault launched, the PAD has renewed its long-time demand of martial law to clear off Red Shirts protest. International community, including International Crisis Group, the neutral think tank based in Brussel, has already warned that the civil war in Thailand could break out, if not political solution immediately brought in. As for leaders of Red Shirts, they have demanded the UN-mediated talks with the government since May 15. On May 18, there was a short-lived hope for negotiation in the morning. But the government rejected it afternoon, leading tension to finally full out operation next morning.

Bloody crackdown on Red Shirts shed more shadow on Thailand. The country has been through 'Dark Age' with severe restriction on freedom of expression and heavy hand on protesters. (Photo by Lee Yu Kyung)

“In democratic countries, when there is a crisis, dissolving parliament and calling elections is a normal way to defuse serious tension” said Ji Unpakorn, the outspoken Thai critic, who’s been exiled in England. “If the government dissolved parliament, announced fresh elections and ordered a cease fire, the violence would end immediately and Red Shirts would all go home” he argued.