Deadly clash at Thai pop concert
BANGKOK, Thailand (Reuters) -- One Thai student was shot dead and 152 were injured during violent clashes near a pop concert in the centre of the capital, Bangkok, police have said.
More than 1,000 vocational students were arrested for disorderly conduct after fighting erupted outside the concert venue near Lumpini Park on Saturday, Bangkok police commissioner Lieutenant General Damrongsak Nilkooha told reporters.
Damrongsak said the body of a dead student, aged 22, was found in Lumpini Park -- named after the birthplace of the Buddha in what is now Nepal -- on Sunday morning.
"Among 152 students injured, four are in serious condition," Damrongsak said.
Another police officer said the dead man, who was wearing a a vocational school shirt, had been shot.
About 2,000 officers were on duty for the three-day free concert that began on Friday. The last day of the concert had been cancelled because of the fighting, Damrongsak
"We did our best. The number of concert-goers was too much to handle and the venue was too small," he said.
APEC security
There is fierce rivalry between vocational school students in Bangkok and skirmishes between gangs are common, although the use of guns is very rare.
Bangkok hosts a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush, in October and authorities have been going to great lengths to prepare for the meeting, including extensive security arrangements.
Thousands of youngsters flocked to hear Thai rock, rap and pop stars at the concert in support of a campaign to fight pirated music -- a major underground industry in the southeast Asian country.
The event turned ugly when groups of youths armed with home-made pen-like guns, wooden sticks, knives and crude bombs began fighting outside the venue, near the central business district.
Copyright 2003
Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
