Thai Rioting Escalates

Under a barrage of tear gas and warning shots from the Thai army, it appeared protesters in Bangkok were being corralled into a small, controlled area. However, Thai citizens--apparently sick of the chaos--began taking matters into their own hands, and several skirmishes erupted between protesters and locals. The first two fatalities of the turmoil occurred during a gun battle between the red-shirted activists and residents "enraged at their violent disruption," the Associated Press reports. The unrest threatens to unravel Thailand's economy, which relies heavily on tourism. Celebrations for the Thai new year have also been canceled.