After 24 hours of chaos and violence around the Thai capital, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva concluded at the end of the day that his mission to bring back peace and order to the country has nearly completed.
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Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks during a news conference at the interior ministry in Bangkok April 12, 2009. [Xinhua]
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Abhisit delivered a late-night speech on national television on Monday that the military was just carrying out their duties to restore law and order, and blamed the red-skirted protesters for inciting violence, after soldiers moved to disperse anti-government protesters around Bangkok during the day.
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Thai army soldiers mass for orders near the Government House in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, April 13, 2009. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Monday a military campaign to shut down anti-government protests that have raged in the capital was "nearly complete". [Zhang Fengguo/Xinhua]
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Abhisit, flanked with top members of the cabinet, military and police, said that by now the authorities have taken back control of all points earlier held by red-shirt protesters around Bangkok, except the only place around the Government House, the main rally venue for the protesters.
