The rallies mounted by supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra have been met with a heavy security deploymentz`
The "Red Shirts" are pushing for fresh elections
The "Red Shirts" have won headlines with stunts like donating their own blood to splash on the prime minister's home
Thailand upgraded security measures Thursday after two more blasts hit government buildings, the latest in a string of minor attacks since anti-government protests erupted this month.
The rallies mounted by red-shirted supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra have been met with a heavy security deployment, including a lockdown on parliament that has triggered an opposition boycott.
Authorities said that the new blasts, which hit a provincial hall on Bangkok's northern outskirts and a government building west of the capital on Wednesday, had hit weak spots in the operation involving 50,000 personnel.
"We have to adjust our operation to curtail the attacks," Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told reporters.
"Intelligence reports say they want to create unrest to show that the government cannot control the situation, but I want to reassure the Thai people that the government is in control," he said.
The blasts, which follow eight other minor explosions since the protests began on March 14 to push for fresh elections, caused minor damage but no injuries.
Most of the incidents have involved grenades, but police investigating the provincial hall explosion, which left a small crater 20 centimetres (eight inches) deep, said they believed it was a bomb fuelled by TNT.
Metropolitan police commander Santhan Chayanont ordered police to increase the number of checkpoints and patrols, particularly on main roads and at key government facilities, and enforce searches for weapons and explosives.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday extended a tough security law enacted for the demonstrations, applying it to Bangkok and nearby districts for an additional week as the "Red Shirts" vowed fresh action.
Opposition Puea Thai lawmakers boycotted parliament for a second day Thursday to protest tight measures including concrete and razor-wire barricades surrounding the building and thousands of soldiers and police on duty.
The president of the upper house, Prasobsuk Boondej, also criticised the military deployment as an over-reaction and said some senators had problems entering the building.
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon assured protesters spooked by the heavy presence that the military would not use force to end nearly two weeks of demonstrations, but said he was concerned over the blasts.
"They must talk to each other, this is all about politics," he told reporters, adding that the security at parliament would be scaled back after the session ended Thursday.
The Red Shirts are planning a mass rally in Bangkok on Saturday, which they say will "shut down" the capital and exceed in size a street parade last weekend that drew 65,000 people.
The Thaksin loyalists, who have won headlines with stunts including donating their own blood to splash on Abhisit's home and offices, on Thursday shaved the heads of dozens of volunteers in a gesture of defiance.
Thousands of Thai protesters surrounded the office of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday, raising fears of a confrontation after repeated threats to expel troops guarding Bangkok's old city.
Red-shirted demonstrators seeking new elections pulled down barricades and threatened to force their way into the heavily guarded Government House compound. Neither Abhisit nor his government were present.
After negotiations with security chiefs, the protesters returned to their encampment, fearing Abhisit would declare a state of emergency that would allow security forces to break up their mass rally.
"We don't want them to use this as a reason to impose an emergency decree," Nattawut Saikua, a protest leader, said. He had earlier said the demonstrators had reached "breaking point."
The "red shirts" back twice-elected former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and have taken aim at the military and so-called bureaucratic elites they say are meddling in politics and conspired to overthrow Thaksin in 2006.
Their fiery rhetoric represents a more confrontational approach and a level of brinkmanship not seen in the two weeks of peaceful rallies, which analysts say have won the protesters support but brought them no closer to toppling the government.
The lack of violence combined with Abhisit's steadfast military backing has encouraged foreign investors lured by cheap shares with high dividend yields to pour into Thailand's stock market in recent weeks.
On Friday, foreigners bought Thai stocks for a 24th straight session, spending a net 1.01 billion baht ($31.2 million). They have purchased about 47 billion baht ($1.5 billion) since February 22 as hot money continues to flow into regional bourses.
Thai Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said on Friday capital inflows into the Thai bourse should continue for the foreseeable future, although any escalation in political tension could trigger outflows.
Anupon Sriard, an analyst at BFIT Securities said on Saturday the increased tensions were not likely to affect Thailand's financial markets when then reopen next week.
"As long as it is peaceful enough, everything should already be priced in, unless of course, we see some violence," he said.
BANGKOK ON EDGE
Analysts say protest leaders are facing a dilemma: either maintain their non-violent approach and fail to rattle the government, or up the ante and risk sparking clashes that could cost them their gains in support and credibility.
The threat of unrest has left the city of 15 million people on edge, compounded by a slew of mysterious blasts and grenade attacks causing only minor damage. The latest came on Saturday evening when a bomb exploded near the army-run Channel 5 television, injuring two soldiers and two civilians.
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