Police deaths will not derail peace efforts, say Abhisit and Red Shirts

Both sides blame unnamed groups intent on derailing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s reconciliation plan for overnight grenade blasts and a drive-by shooting.

Two police officers died. Five others were wounded, along with three soldiers.

The anti-government Red Shirts have denied responsibility for the attacks, which have cast doubt on the prospects for reconciliation.

Abhisit says his “roadmap” could end the two-month standoff with the Red Shirts by scheduling elections for 14 November. But the Red Shirts are demanding a firm date for the dissolution of parliament before disbanding their protest base.

On Saturday they claimed the Red Shirts that 5,000 new supporters arrived at their camp.

But Red Shirts are not the only stakeholders in Thailand’s colour-coded crisis.

Pro-government Yellow Shirts, who blockaded Bangkok’s two main airports in 2008, are opposed to the prime minister’s reconciliation and election plan.

And another pro-government group, the “Multicoloureds”, has called for an election, but at a later date.