Bangkok Bombs Kill 3, Injure 75

An Australian man gets carried away after an granade explosion happened at the Bangkok sky train on April 22. At least five grenades exploded Thursday in the center of Bangkok near a massive encampment of anti-government protesters. (Andy Nelson/Getty Images)

Bangkok’s main financial district was hit by a series of deadly blasts on Thursday. An estimated three people were killed and over 75 injured when five explosions took place.

Thai officials say that the explosions were caused by ’red shirt' anti-government protesters who have been camped in central Bangkok for about six weeks.

Thai media report that the grenades were launched using an M-79 grenade launcher, suggesting they were fired from within the red shirt camp just across the street from the financial district.

The explosions come after days of increased tension between Thai red shirt protesters and the army. The red shirts are demanding the prime minister step down and call elections.

The red shirts have fortified their camp in Bangkok’s Siam commercial center with bamboo sticks and stacks of tires. They man the walls of their camp with makeshift crude weaponry in what they say is a defense from Thai government troops. An attempt by the Thai military to evict the estimated 14,000 red shirts led to clashes killing 25 people.

On Thursday, red shirt leaders called on the United Nations to deploy a peacekeeping force in Bangkok to prevent the army from using force to disperse the protesters.