Thai Unrest

Thailand's military government said on Monday peace in the Muslim-dominated south was an "urgent national priority" for the Buddhist-majority country following a decade of unrest blamed on separatists.

Thailand's military on Friday compared its seizure of power in May to restore stability after months of unrest to the brutal crackdown by Myanmar's former junta in 1988 to snuff out a pro-democracy movement.

Thai police and soldiers flooded downtown Bangkok on Saturday to pre-empt further protests against a May 22 coup after the army chief said a return to democracy would take more than a year.

At least six people were wounded in twin blasts in southern Thailand's main commercial city of Hat Yai -- the gateway to the kingdom's insurgency-stricken deep south, authorities said Tuesday.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the target of anti-government protesters who have blocked parts of Bangkok for weeks, has left the capital and is staying 150 km (90 miles) away, her office said on Monday, without specifying the location.

Thai authorities are "very seriously" considering a state of emergency after a weekend of violence in the capital where protesters have been trying for more than two months to bring down the government, the security chief said on Monday.

Race of Champions 2014, which was to be held on December 14-15 at Thailand was cancelled on account of political unrest in the Thai capital of Bangkok.

The Thai capital is bracing for possible unrest this week, with street protests expected over moves in parliament that could eventually lead to a pardon for ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thai authorities and Muslim militant leaders based in neighboring Malaysia agreed on Thursday to hold talks to help ease nearly a decade of unrest in southern Thailand.

Thai police on Saturday used tear gas at an anti-government protest in the capital Bangkok, the scene of several outbreaks of violent unrest in recent years.

The Thai government on Thursday declared the situation in the nation's capital under control though troops continued to battle pockets of resistance by Red Shirt protesters as the conflict spread to the rural northeast.

Nine people were killed in clashes at a temple declared a "safe zone" within a Thai anti- government rally site which was shut down in a military offensive, police said on Thursday."Doctors and medical workers who went to the scene said they saw nine bodies inside the temple," Police Operation Center spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said.The death toll...

The Thai government has declared a curfew in Bangkok from 8 pm until 6 am as rioting and violence spread across the capital.

The Prime Minister of Thailand, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has urged the countrymen to remain calm after a week of deadly protests.

Thailand's military government said on Monday peace in the Muslim-dominated south was an "urgent national priority" for the Buddhist-majority country following a decade of unrest blamed on separatists.

Thailand's military on Friday compared its seizure of power in May to restore stability after months of unrest to the brutal crackdown by Myanmar's former junta in 1988 to snuff out a pro-democracy movement.

Thai police and soldiers flooded downtown Bangkok on Saturday to pre-empt further protests against a May 22 coup after the army chief said a return to democracy would take more than a year.

At least six people were wounded in twin blasts in southern Thailand's main commercial city of Hat Yai -- the gateway to the kingdom's insurgency-stricken deep south, authorities said Tuesday.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the target of anti-government protesters who have blocked parts of Bangkok for weeks, has left the capital and is staying 150 km (90 miles) away, her office said on Monday, without specifying the location.

Thai authorities are "very seriously" considering a state of emergency after a weekend of violence in the capital where protesters have been trying for more than two months to bring down the government, the security chief said on Monday.

Race of Champions 2014, which was to be held on December 14-15 at Thailand was cancelled on account of political unrest in the Thai capital of Bangkok.

The Thai capital is bracing for possible unrest this week, with street protests expected over moves in parliament that could eventually lead to a pardon for ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thai authorities and Muslim militant leaders based in neighboring Malaysia agreed on Thursday to hold talks to help ease nearly a decade of unrest in southern Thailand.

Thai police on Saturday used tear gas at an anti-government protest in the capital Bangkok, the scene of several outbreaks of violent unrest in recent years.

The Thai government on Thursday declared the situation in the nation's capital under control though troops continued to battle pockets of resistance by Red Shirt protesters as the conflict spread to the rural northeast.

Nine people were killed in clashes at a temple declared a "safe zone" within a Thai anti- government rally site which was shut down in a military offensive, police said on Thursday."Doctors and medical workers who went to the scene said they saw nine bodies inside the temple," Police Operation Center spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said.The death toll...

The Thai government has declared a curfew in Bangkok from 8 pm until 6 am as rioting and violence spread across the capital.

The Prime Minister of Thailand, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has urged the countrymen to remain calm after a week of deadly protests.