(3 February) More than 40 shots have been fired during the clashes between rival protest groups in northern Bangkok on Saturday, police said.
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The gunbattle erupted in the evening of 1 February when scores of pro-election protesters, mostly Redshirts, attempted to retake Laksi District Office from the besieging anti-election protesters led by the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD).
At least 6 people were injured, one of them severely.
Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamrop Panyakaew, director of the forensic police, said in a press conference today that his force has investigated the ballistics and other evidences in the crime scene to determine the positions of the gunmen.
According to Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamrop, 39 shots have been fired from the position of PCAD protesters, and 3 shots from the direction of pro-election protesters.
Additionally, the police uncovered a large number of bullet cases used by high-powered firearms, such as AK-47, carbine rifles, and a shotgun. Bullet cases of several types of handguns were also found in the scene.
The police will investigate these evidences to identify the suspects on both PCAD and pro-election sides, Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamrop said. He added that arrest warrants of the first suspects are "being sought".
In the same press conference, Mr. Tharit Pendit, chief of the Division of Special Investigation (DSI), thanked the public for exercising their rights to vote instead of joining PCAD′s attempts to scuttle the 2 February election.
The DSI chief vowed to prosecute every person who attempted to sabotage the election, and urged the public to inform the police of any evidence about these individuals.
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