One Dead In Bangkok Bomb Blast

[Boater]

One protester has been killed in a blast at Bangkok's blockaded Don Muang airport, hours before the ruling in a vote fraud case that could see the Thai government dissolved.

Wounded activists are treated at the scene of the airport grenade attack

The victim died after a grenade was fired from a flyover near the airport, injuring 22 others in the vicinity.

Anti-government demonstrators from the People's Alliance for Democracy have occupied the domestic airport site since Thursday.

They are calling for the resignation of Thailand's prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, whom they accuse of being a pawn for his brother-in-law, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Meanwhile, hundreds of red-shirted government supporters have surrounded the Constitutional Court in Bangkok, where judges were due to begin a final hearing on the vote fraud case.

"We are here to stop the judges from holding their hearing," Thai television quoted a protest leader as saying outside the court compound, where scores of riot police guarded the building.

The activists wore headbands and scarves reading "Against Dictatorship" and "Love Thaksin".

A decision was made to move the hearing to an alternative court, an official said.

Judges will consider whether to disband three parties in the six-party ruling coalition because some of their members were convicted of vote fraud after elections in December 2007.

The court's ruling may see Mr Somchai barred from office, but may not necessarily lead to a snap election as MPs may simply switch to a new party.

source - http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-New...e_And_Wounds_22

Edited December 2, 2008 by Boater