Protests turn deadly in Thailand

The Red Shirt political protest in Bangkok, Thailand has been active for nearly two months now, and has entered a new, deadly phase in the past week, with at least 36 of the total 60 deaths occurring in just the last few days. Ant-government protesters have barricaded themselves against government troops and the Thai army has declared certain protest areas to be "Live Fire Zones". A state of emergency is in effect, covering 17 provinces in the country, as protesters have refused orders to leave, and news just emerged that a renegade general who supported the Red Shirts, Khattiya Sawatdithol, died today from a gunshot wound he suffered on May 13th. Collected here are photos of the recent turmoil in central Bangkok.

A "Red Shirt" anti-government protester kneels down as he runs away from gunfire as the violence in central Bangkok continues on May 16, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images)


Thai soldiers stand off with a crowd of Red Shirt protesters, Friday, May 14, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)


Red Shirt protesters fire home-made rockets toward Thai soldiers on Sunday May 16, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)


Renegade Thai major-general Khattiya Sawasdipol, only moments before being shot while being interviewed by Thai and foreign reporters in Bangkok on May 13, 2010. Khattiya, better known as Seh Daeng, a rogue soldier and de facto military chief of Thailand's red shirt protest movement later died from the wound. (REUTERS/Cyrille Andres)


Renegade Thai major-general Khattiya Sawasdipol slumps on the ground moments after being shot in the head while being interviewed by Thai and foreign reporters in Bangkok on May 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Cyrille Andres)


A Buddhist monk prays for peace on the anti-government red shirt protesters main rally stage on May 16, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Getty Images)


A demonstrator uses a slingshot against security forces during clashes in Bangkok on May 15, 2010. (PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images)


A demonstrator, wounded during clashes with security forces, is carried to an ambulance in Bangkok on May 15, 2010. (PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images)


A burning tire rolls toward the line of Thai soldiers moving to disperse Red Shirt protesters on Friday, May 14, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)


A Red Shirt demonstrator taunts Thai soldiers in downtown Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, May 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)


Red Shirt anti-government protesters crouch on the ground after several gunshots rang out and stuck two men, as hundreds of protesters gathered under the highway bridge on Rama 4, during clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Bangkok on May 16, 2010. (NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images)


A person peers out from behind the shutters of a shop during violent clashes between Red Shirt protesters and the military on May 14, 2010 in Bangkok. (Andy Nelson /Getty Images)


Red Shirt protesters create a burning barricade on Rama IV road to stop army soldiers from advancing in Bangkok May 15, 2010. (REUTERS/Adrees Latif)


Red Shirt protesters add to a burning barricade in the streets on May 14, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Andy Nelson /Getty Images)


Red Shirt demonstrators watch Thai soldiers from behind their makeshift barricades on Friday, May 14, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)


Thai soldiers in riot gear rest under a bridge outside the fortified camp of the Red Shirt movement in downtown Bangkok on May 13, 2010. (NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images)


An intoxicated Red Shirt supporter lies against a barricade made out of tires during clashes at Rama IV Street in Bangkok May 16, 2010. (REUTERS/Jerry Lampen)


A Red Shirt supporter walks toward a barricade of tires which were set ablaze between army soldiers and protesters near Bangkok's Victory Monument May 16, 2010. (REUTERS/Adrees Latif)


Thai Buddhist monks gather Sunday, May 16, 2010, at Victory Monument in Bangkok, Thailand to chant prayers for peace. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)


A Thai man believed to be a Red Shirt demonstrator lies dead in the street after being shot by an unidentified sniper Saturday, May 15, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo)


A broken window in a burned out shop is seen as a Red Shirt protester runs by as violence continues on May 16, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)


Anti-government Red Shirt protesters carry the body of their dead comrade who was believed to have been shot by a sniper during clashes with Thai soldiers Saturday, May 15, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)


A Red Shirt demonstrator fires a homemade firecracker toward Thai security forces as the violence in central Bangkok continues on May 16, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images)


A photographer takes a photograph as soldiers clash with anti-government Red Shirt protesters in Bangkok May 17, 2010. (REUTERS/Kerek Wongsa)


A demonstrator shoots a pistol during clashes with security forces in Bangkok on May 15, 2010. (PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images)


A Thai man removes a can from a burning barricade in a main avenue of Bangkok during clashes between demonstrators and security forces on May 16, 2010. (PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images)


Anti-government demonstrators are arrested by Thai soldiers in downtown Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)


A Red Shirt protester who was wearing a fire-fighter's helmet lies on the sidewalk next to a flag with a red cross after being shot by army soldiers during clashes at Rama IV Street in Bangkok May 15, 2010. (REUTERS/Jerry Lampen)


Red shirt protesters try to put out a fire as the violence in central part of the city escalates on May 15, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)


Thai soldiers help each other to take position on a flyover during an operation to take control of an area around the fortified Red Shirt protesters' camp in Bangkok on May 14, 2010. (PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images)


Thai security forces fire toward Red Shirt protesters during a street clash on May 14, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images)


A Red Shirt supporter rallies with a Thai national flag from a "tuk tuk" after the Red Shirts secured parts of Rama IV from army troops with a burning barricade of tires in Bangkok May 15, 2010. (REUTERS/Adrees Latif)


Pedestrians pause near posters on a Bangkok street to watch smoke rise from burning tires in Thailand on Monday, May 17, 2010. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)


A soldier keeps watch near the perimeter of the barricaded anti-government Red Shirt encampment at Bangkok's shopping district May 15, 2010. (REUTERS/Caren Firouz)


A man stands in front of a burning bus during clashes between Thai soldiers and anti-government protesters near Lumphini park in Bangkok's financial district May 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj)


Guests and hotel staff sit in dark in the basement of the Dusit Thani hotel after they were evacuated following an explosion and gunfire being heard around the hotel early on May 17, 2010. An explosion nearby rattled the hotel room. Bullets hit the wall outside, then their telephones rang: "Come down you are under attack," the voice from reception warned. (MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images)


Red Shirt protesters set tires ablaze in front of a stand off with Thai military, Sunday, May 16, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)


A Thai soldier runs to take cover during a clash with Red Shirt anti-government protesters in Bangkok on May 14, 2010. (NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images)


Dark smoke rises above Bangkok, Thailand as Red Shirt protesters burn tires at a main road downtown on Sunday, May 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)