Violence in Thailand

As the violence worsens in Thailand, former Pasadena Star-News reporter Todd Ruiz is staying in the thick of it. His latest dispatches are here and here. An excerpt:

The crowd was cheering and clapping, making no threatening moves toward soldiers apart from the usual sling-shot silliness. This young soldier freaks out and opens up with his rifle. Right into civilians and reporters. I assume ammo is live and sure enough as we clear from center of road, I see old man take a headshot and go down face-first into the street. He was in death spasms by the time they pulled him into the gas station. French photog who was behind soldiers said young shooter got a verbal rebuke and soft cuff to the face from his CO.