Malaysia Update

BANGKOK: Red-shirted protesters blinked when they went eyeball-to-eyeball with the military in the Thai capital.

Surrounded by armoured vehicles and soldiers armed with automatic weapons, the red-shirted protesters – whose numbers at the Prime Minister’s office grounds dwindled from 100,000 to about 2,500 – were all set for a bloody confrontation.

Backing down: Two antigovernment protesters (left) talking with a Thai soldier while others load their belongings on to a truck after ending their nearly two-week protest in Bangkok yesterday. — AP

“We will fight for the entire country and are aiming for victory in the long run,” proclaimed an SMS sent yesterday by the red-shirted “public relations” team.

However, at around 11am on the third day of the state of emergency in Bangkok, a red-shirted leader, Veera Musigapong, told protesters to pack their bags and return home. more