Jaran warns conflict will last for years, but poll backs crackdown

"Today more blood will be shed," Pongamporn Bandasak, the red-shirt community radio host at FM101.25 was heard saying at 6am yesterday. I had tuned in to the station at home after a long night of off-and-on fighting and killing at various spots around Bangkok that saw real bullets used by soldiers and M79 grenades fired by unidentified assailants.

People are not really questioning the government's decision to censor media, simply because they believe it is acceptable under the emergency decree, said Chiranuch Premchaiporn, webmaster of prachatai.com, which is being blocked because it is considered to be pro-red shirt.

The summoning of student activists supporting the red-shirt movement was unbecoming for a government claiming to be democratic, said one of three student activists summoned to the 11th Infantry Regiment by the Centre for Emergency Situation Resolution.

Since 2006, Thai politics has witnessed mounting popular mobilisation and a deepening political crisis. As so-called ‘yellow shirts’ and ‘red shirts’ have taken their protests to the international airport, the national government, and the city streets of Bangkok, Thailand has also seen the articulation of ultra-royalist versus (alleged) anti-royalist sentiments.