Thailand Monday warned tourists in Bangkok to be extra- vigilant after the three-day-old anti-government protests turned violent.
Two soldiers were wounded after three grenades exploded at a Thai military base during massive protests in central Bangkok Monday morning.
The protesters threatened to begin collecting hundreds of liters of blood to toss on official buildings in an effort to intensify anti-government demonstrations.
Thai Foreign Office has advised tourists in the city to "exercise extreme caution," saying the political situation was "volatile."
About 30 countries have issued travel warnings for Bangkok.
Opposition United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) held 'million-man' agitation urging the government to resign and call for new elections.
However, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva refused to yield to the demands of his predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra's loyalists, known as the "Red Shirts."
The protesters had given Vejjajiva an ultimatum to dissolve Parliament by mid-day Monday or face mass street demonstrations.
Vejjajiva addressed the nation hours before the deadline, and made it clear that he would not dissolve the Parliament.
"Everyone agrees that we cannot do it. It's not that we will not listen to the people, including the protesters. We want to see the country moving forward within the rule of law not just for today, but also for the future," he said in a live-telecast Monday morning.
As Vejjajiva spoke, tens of thousands of protesters gathered outside the Army barracks where he was holed up.
The protesters are reportedly returning from the 11th Infantry Battalion barracks in the north of the Thai capital to their base camp around Government House. Red shirt leaders said they would meet to discuss their future course of action.
Shinawatra loyalists have been engaged in frequent anti-government protests demanding the resignation of Vejjajiva since he was elected Prime Minister in December 2008.
Red shirt protests last April that sparked Thailand's worse political violence in 17 years failed to oust the British-born Democratic leader.
It is widely speculated that Shinawatra, who has been living in self-exile since August 2008 to avoid a two-year prison sentence, could try to create chaos in Thailand to pave the way for a political comeback.
Tourist sites have been declared "no-go areas" for foreigners in the wake of the agitation, which dealt a huge financial blow to Thailand's tourism industry.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.