Thai police fire tear gas against crowd next to Parliament

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Police have fired tear gas at several thousand demonstrators attempting to block government access to the Parliament building in the Thai capital. Reporters at the scene Tuesday saw at least one person injured by the gas. Sounds of gunfire were also heard but senior police officials said that only tear gas was being used against the crowd. The protests are part of an effort by the People's Alliance for Democracy to bring down the government, which it says is merely a proxy for ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006 by military leaders who accused him of corruption and who now resides in exile.