Thai leader declares emergency after night of violence

1 killed, dozens hurt; unions may back protesters

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

The developments 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 protesters trying to bring down Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

An announcement broadcast on all Thai television stations at 7 a.m. said Samak had decreed a state of emergency in Bangkok and Army General Anupong Paochinda was in charge of enforcing it.

In Thailand, a state of emergency allows the use of military forces in policing activities, and suspends some civil liberties.

A week of political tension exploded into violence early this 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, Dr. Petchapon Kumtonkitjakarn of the Erawan Medical Center said.

Yesterday, a coalition of 43 unions representing workers at state companies including water, electric, phone and the national airline said they would cut off services to the government starting tomorrow in support of the antigovernment protests.

The State Enterprise Workers Relations Confederation said 200,000 members would stop work in support of the alliance of right-wing protesters that has occupied Samak's office for a week in its campaign to bring down the government.

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

The alliance and sympathizers complain that Western-style democracy with one-man, one-vote gives too much weight to Thailand's rural majority, who protesters say are susceptible to vote buying that breeds corruption. They have proposed a system under which most lawmakers would be appointed rather than elected.