Protesters trap Thailand Prime Minister inside a beach hotel

Hundreds of protesters trapped Thai Premier Abhisit Vejja jiva inside a beach hotel for several hours on Tuesday, raising tensions ahead of a key Asian summit being held here later this week.

About 400 red-clad supporters of fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra surrounded the hotel in the resort town of Pattaya where Mr Vejjajiva was holding a Cabinet meeting amid tight security, an AFP reporter said.

Mr Vejjajiva had moved the Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting to Pattaya because Mr Shinawatra loyalists have blockaded the main government offices in Bangkok for nearly two weeks to press for fresh elections. The protesters dispersed and allowed Mr Vejjajiva to leave after about three hours, but the incident further upped the ante in a long-running feud between Mr Shinawatra’s loyalists and Mr Vejjajiva’s nearly four-month-old government.

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Thai nightclub fire kills 60, hurts 200

At least 60 people were killed, including many foreigners, and more than 200 injured when a fierce fire ripped through a popular nightclub in Thailand’s capital Bangkok early on Thursday morning.

The blaze broke out at the famous Santika Club, frequented by both locals and tourists, in Ekkamai area after a pyrotechnic display ignited the second floor ceiling largely made of soundproofing material, reports said.

A number of foreigners, mainly Asians, were among the casualties from the blaze that erupted shortly after midnight at the club, the police said.

Nearly 10 foreigners, including from Australia, the Netherlands, Nepal and Japan, were reported to be killed during the stampede to get out of the club from burns, smoke inhalation and injuries during the incident, they said adding, around 30 bodies were charred beyond recognition.

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