By Michael Casey
Associated Press
Tuesday, September 2, 2008

BANGKOK, Sept. 2 -- Thailand's prime minister declared a state of emergency in the capital Tuesday after street fighting overnight between supporters and opponents of the government left one man dead and dozens injured.

The violence was the most serious since the protests began, and it followed a threat by state workers to cut off water, electricity and phone service at government offices and disrupt flights of the national airline in support of bringing down Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

An announcement broadcast on all Thai television stations said Samak had decreed a state of emergency in Bangkok. The measure allows the use of the military in policing activities, limits public gatherings, bans news reports that could instigate violence, and allows security officials to clear public roads, buildings and other areas. It would also permit the military to immediately oust the protesters occupying the prime minister's premises.

A week of political tension exploded into violence early Tuesday morning between protesters seeking to topple Samak and mobs of his supporters.

About 500 Samak supporters marched through the streets, proclaiming they were going to retake the prime minister's office compound, which has been occupied since Aug. 26 by the People's Alliance for Democracy.

The mob scuffled with police about halfway to the Government House complex, then battled with alliance members, both sides wielding sticks and clubs. Police were unable to stop the fighting, which eased up only after army troops with riot gear -- but no guns -- reached the scene.

Although the troops were able to keep the antagonists apart, few supporters of either side dispersed, keeping the area a flashpoint for further trouble.

One person died from severe head injuries and four others were in serious condition, two with gunshot wounds, said Petchapon Kumtonkitjakarn, a physician at the Erawan Medical Center. He added that 37 people were being treated for injuries at several hospitals.

On Monday, a coalition of 43 unions representing workers at state water, electric and telephone companies and the national airline said they would cut off services to the government starting Wednesday in support of the anti-government protests. They already were disrupting rail service and planned to cut back public bus transportation.

The alliance claims the government is corrupt and too close to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and recently fled to Britain to escape a variety of corruption charges. The same group organized the massive anti-Thaksin demonstrations in 2006 that helped spark the bloodless coup.