2 injured in explosion as Thai police start to reclaim rally sites

Two people were slightly injured after a giant firecracker exploded near Makkhawan Rangsan bridge in Thai capital Bangkok as police on Friday morning started to retake a couple of rally sites in the city. Two injuries included one female protester and a reporter of local newspaper Siam Rath when a sound of explosion was heard at 11:10 a.m. Friday morning, reported the Nation newspaper. Police forces, armed with shield, were deployed to the sites of protesters in Bangkok Friday morning. They started removing the first line of barriers and sandbags set up by protesters from 8:26 a.m. local time, and then demolished tents of the protesters on the Rajdamnoen Road on the Makkhawan Bridge. Police are withdrawing from Chaeng Wattana Road and decided not to retake a rally site controlled by monk Luang Pu Budda Issara. The protest monk's rally site is preventing officials from entering the government complex.