On 21 April, pro-government groups, including the Multicoloured Group and Silom Group, which according to the Nation Channel website, consist of people from Silom, Klongtoey and Thanon Tok, gathered at the Dusit Thani corner of Silom Rd, opposite the red shirts’ entrenchment in front of Lumphini Park, just across Rama IV Rd.  The government supporters shouted at the red shirts to go away, and gave support to the military troops deployed there.

In the late afternoon a man rode a motorcycle decorated with red-shirt symbols turned into Silom Rd, and the government supporters rushed at him.  Police tried to bar them with shields, but a man managed to punch the motorcyclist in the face.

At times during the protests, the government supporters burned red-shirt flags and symbols.

'Go back to upcountry'

Red-shirt leaders spoke from the other side of the road, claiming that the government supporters were organized by Somkiat Chanthawanit, a Democrat Bangkok MP.

At around 9 pm, leaders of the government supporters announced they would stop using loudspeakers because they had asked for permission to use them until that time, but the rally would still continue.   

According to ASTV-Manager, after the government supporters sang royal anthems, and some of them started to leave, a young man with a crew cut wearing a military green shirt and flowered shorts walked through them and was misunderstood to be a red shirt.  A scuffle broke out and the young man ran to the military troops to ask for help.  Later, a military officer told the supporters that the young man was an off-duty private deployed at the Saladaeng BTS station.  He was in casual dress to find food to eat.

Later, according to a Prachatai reporter, a photographer who was taking photos at the scene was attacked by the supporters as he was thought to be a red shirt.  He was injured in the head and was bleeding.  The photographer, Bhumi Daranphob, working for www.freemasspower.com, was taken away by soldiers.

At about 11 pm, the government supporters and the red shirts threw glass bottles and fired slingshots at each other across Saladaeng intersection.

Kwanchai Phraiphana, a red-shirt leader, spoke through loudspeakers asking the red shirts not to fight back and telling them that they had a bigger job to do in the future.  About 3-4 men belonging to the government supporters fired slingshots and threw metal objects at the red shirts from one side of the McDonalds outlet, while the red shirts fired back with fireworks and bamboo rockets.  No injuries were reported.  Police and military troops present made no attempt to calm either side.

During the stand-off, a red-shirt car with House dissolution stickers went past the intersection, and was surrounded by the government supporters and the stickers were torn off.

At about 11.50 pm, the situation was relatively calmer, with police having put up barriers and brought four detention trucks to block both sides of the road.

At about 00.15 am, police arrested two government supporters who fired slingshots and threw bottles at the red shirts, and took them into custody in front of the Dusit Thani Hotel.  The government supporters were angry and reproached the police.

A middle-aged man got out of a van and approached reporters and the government supporters, showing metal nuts and marbles he claimed were shot by the red shirts.  Some government supporters rode motorcycles around Saladaeng intersection, honking to provoke the red shirts.

At about 00.30 am, the government supporters threw unopened soda bottles and empty bottles at the police who had detained the two suspects, giving a deadline to release them in 30 minutes.

At about 00.50 am, police released the two suspects, and the government supporters dispersed.

There were at least three people injured in the showdown: Christopher, an Australian, 40, whose forehead was cut and left ear injured from shots with metal nuts; Somjit Prabdee, 43, whose right eyebrow was cut by a marble; and an unnamed man whose shoulder was dislocated.  A few more persons had minor injuries from slingshots.  All were sent to receive treatment at Bangkok Christian Hospital.