Awaz Apni: The chief military advisor of Thailand’s anti-government protesters was shot in the head Thursday night in Bangkok during an interview a reporter. Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdiphol, known by his nickname Seh Daeng, was struck by a bullet in the back of the head while being interview by Thomas Fuller of The New York Times. The Associated Press reached an aide of Khattiya, who described the injury as “severe.” The unidentified aide said that the shot was fired by a sniper, though the AP has not verified this claim. From The New York Times: The general, Khattiya Sawatdiphol, 59, was struck in the head by a bullet during an interview with this reporter about 6:50 p.m.. on the street in central Bangkok, near a park occupied by his hardline followers. This reporter, who was facing the general and about two feet away, heard a loud bang not unlike a firecracker. The general fell to the ground, with his eyes wide open, and protesters rushed his apparently lifeless body to the hospital. “Seh Daeng has been shot! She Daeng has been shot!” protesters shouted amid growing panic. Khattiya was admitted to an intensive care ward, the state Narenthorn Emergency Medical Service told Reuters. The shot came after an explosion and bursts of automatic gunfire were heard near Bangkok’s business district, which has been occupied by “Red Shirt” protestors for the last five weeks. The chaos continued after the general was taken to hospital; 20 other people were injured, and within hours, protestors and security forces were clashing security forces in Bangkok’s Lumpini Park, reported the Times. Khattiya is a renegade officer who was suspended from the Thai army for helping the anti-government protestors construct the barricades in downtown Bangkok. He was accused of creating a paramilitary force among the protesters and has been labelled a “terrorist” by the Thai government. He became a cult figure among some Red Shirts and soldiers, wandering freely around the protest zone and signing autographs. Before the shooting, the Thai military said that it is planning to impose a lockdown on the fortified protest zone.The Red Shirts, many from the rural poor, are demanding an immediate dissolution of Parliament because they believe Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s coalition government came to power illegitimately. with files from Reuters and AP View more photos of Thursday’s protests below the cut.
