THE DECISION was made to go ahead with the February 2 election despite warnings of the potential for violence and the possibility of Thailand having no government for months afterwards.


BANGKOK: An out-of-uniform policeman was badly beaten by protesters after a shooting incident close to where Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was meeting today.

Protesters guarding Suthep Thaugsuban beat Kongpet Petkanghar, 40, with their fists outside the Army Club, putting him in intensive care after a protester was shot. Both men were taken to different hospitals.

The Election Commission told Khun Yingluck today that the safety of voters could not be guaranteed next weekend and suggested a delay of up to three months before the national vote.

Meanwhile the caretaker government has warned protest leaders that they face arrest before Thursday if they do not return occupied Bangkok intersections to authorities.

The government declared an emergency last week but it has shown no sign of using its special powers.

In separate developments, the Constitutional Court rejected a request to arrest 16 protest leaders and the National Anti-Corruption Commission accepted an investigation into the actions of the prime minister over rice subsidies.

Protesters led by Khun Suthep are seeking to have Khun Yingluck and her brother Thaksin, who is said to run Thailand from exile in Dubai, banned from Thai politics.

While the protesters insist on reforms before an election, the government set February 2 as an election date and promised reforms later.

Since the protests began in November nine people have been killed and almost 600 injured. The country's currency, stock market and investment have fallen sharply and tourist arrivals to Bangkok have collapsed at the peak of the tourist season.