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Thai troops maintained a security cordon around thousands of anti-government demonstrators in Bangkok on Tuesday after a night of sporadic violence in which smaller protests were reported in several parts of the capital.An estimated 5,000 "red shirts" remain in their main encampment covering 3 sq kms (1.2 sq miles) of an upmarket shopping district and from where they have rallied since April 3 for the government to step down and new elections be held.Authorities had warned them to leave by 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Monday, but the deadline passed without any action being taken.Hundreds of women and children took refuge in a temple inside the protest area, while some protesters fought with soldiers in areas around the camp.Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said some "terrorists" were trying to foment trouble through random killings."There are groups of terrorists trying to create incidents by hurting and killing people. Their targets are innocent people at the rallies, rescue workers, journalists," Sansern said.He said one such incident occurred on Monday north of the main protest site in an apartment block under construction."A group of snipers dressed as soldiers were hiding on floors 24 to 27 aiming randomly at people, and that is being blamed on soldiers," he told a televised briefing.Thai media reported a fire was raging in a row of deserted shops in the same area on Tuesday and firefighters were struggling to get into the area because of barricades.For a live blog: http://link.reuters.com/hyr54kFor a graphic related to the story, click http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/RNGS/2010/MAY/THAI5.jpg"Red shirt" leaders have proposed a ceasefire and talks moderated by the United Nations, which the government dismissed. On Monday, they said they would accept talks as long as a neutral arbiter took part and troops withdrew."The government cannot entertain demands from the protesters," said Korbsak Sabhavasu, senior aide to the prime minister. "The best way forward is to stop talking about negotiation and for the protest leaders to call their people back to the Rachaprasong rally area and stop the violence."NO NEGOTIATED SOLUTIONErawan Emergency Medical Centre said on Tuesday that 38 people had died in the flare-up of violence since May 13 and 67 people since trouble started in April.The rally began in mid-March. Televised talks near the start achieved little and contact since has also proved fruitless.A government source said there were talks behind the scene, but raised doubt any of the "red shirt" leaders had full control of the protesters, especially the more militant elements.The protesters, mostly drawn from the rural and urban poor, and supporters of ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, had initially demanded immediate elections.Earlier this month, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva unilaterally offered an election in November -- just over a year before one was due -- but withdrew the offer because the "red shirts" refused to end their rally and kept adding more demands."Following the prime minister's decision to scrap the poll plan, it has become clear that hope for any political solution and reconciliation of the situation even in the short term is extremely slim," political analyst Maria Patrikainen of IHS Global Insight Analysis wrote in a note on the crisis."With no immediate solution in sight, the fighting also threatens to further divide Thailand's already fractured society, pushing the country towards civil war," she added.Among the smaller incidents reported from late on Monday, Channel 3 television reported that hundreds of "red shirts" had attempted to hold a protest at Ramkamhaneg University in the south of the city on Monday evening.When students resisted and riot police intervened, the "red shirts" agreed to hold their rally outside the university. Later a gunman driving past on a motorbike fired into the crowd and the demonstrators dispersed. Some minor injuries were reported.(Additional reporting by Arada Kultawanich and Ambika Ahuja; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by David Fox)
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