Thai Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Tuesday in a live TV address the army is prepared to disperse the protesters at the Government House, ready to shooting into air, if necessary.

He said there are about 2,000 protesters around the Government House, the only encampment of the protesters now.

The spokesman said the army try to negotiate with the protesters first, but if the effort fails, they would use tear gas and water cannons to secure the area.

Two protesters on motorcycle shot towards soldiers at around 23: 00 p.m. local time Monday near the MBK shopping mall in central Bangkok, Sansern said, adding that one soldier was seriously injured.

According to Xinhua reporters at the scene, the red-shirted protesters were in a face-off with the soldiers, within a distance of 400 to 500 meters. The protesters tried to prevent the soldiers from moving ahead with buses and other obstacles.

The army has closed all the roads to the Government House, and vehicles are not allowed to enter a cordon-off area hundreds of meters around the compound. The security has been tightened in the nearby royal Chiralada Palace.

In the meanwhile, the water-splashing activities scheduled for the Songkran festival in the Khaoshan Road, one of the most popular spots in Bangkok for foreign tourists, have been canceled because of security reasons. Songkran Festival, the new year celebration for Thai people, falls on April 13-15.

After imposing the state of emergency over Bangkok and surrounding areas on Sunday afternoon, the army and police were dispatched to the street to disperse protesters. Violent clashes and sporadic bloodshed were reported in many spots around Bangkok Monday. So far nearly 100 people have been injured in the clashes.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva promised on Monday to restore order in the country in three or four days during the Songkran Festival, and by late Monday night, Abhisit said his mission has nearly completed.

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2009)