Thailand February Elections 'To Go Ahead'

Elections due to take place in less than three weeks will go ahead despite opposition calls for a delay, prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has insisted.

Her statement followed an overnight shooting attack on anti-government protesters in Bangkok which left two people wounded and added to rising tensions in the country's deepening political crisis.

Ms Yingluck had offered to meet rivals to discuss an Election Commission proposal to delay the February 2 ballot but protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban and the opposition Democrat Party refused to take part, saying reform to get rid of corruption in politics must happen first.

The PM told reporters after meeting senior government officials that there was no legal way for a delay.

An anti-government protester wears a mask during a rally in Bangkok

"The rights of the people are important," she said, a day after rejecting calls by demonstrators to resign.

Thailand's air traffic communications body says it has back-up operations to ensure no disruption to air travel if protesters try to shut down its main control centre.

More than 800,000 Britons visit the country each year and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns tourists to "take extra care and avoid all protests, political gatherings and demonstrations".

Thailand has been wracked by repeated bouts of unrest since the military ousted the PM's brother - ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra - in 2006 amid charges of corruption and alleged disrespect for the monarchy.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban speaking to his supporters

Protesters say Ms Yingluck is her brother's puppet, and they accuse her government of corruption and misrule.

But the majority of rural poor in Thailand's countryside, particularly in the north, support the Shinawatra family because of the populist policies it has implemented, including virtually free health care.

The crisis boiled over again late last year after a failed ruling party bid to push through an amnesty bill that would have allowed Thaksin to return from exile.

Yingluck Shinawatra is accused of being her brother's puppet

Although that effort was quashed, protests intensified and, so far, at least eight people have been killed and more than 450 have been injured.

Ms Yingluck has tried to ease the crisis by dissolving parliament and calling for elections.

But there are growing doubts next month's vote will take place because the protest movement, which has vowed to bring down her government, is trying to derail it.

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