Thailand booms despite unrest

The Thai financial markets are strengthening despite protests in Bangkok, which left the presidential residence smeared with human blood.

Stocks have hit a 19-month high and the currency is at its strongest level for 22 months.

In the past few days thousands of protestors have flooded the streets of Bangkok to rally against the Prime Minister and demand new elections.

However Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will continue in office despite the unrest, commentators have suggested.

Investors are being enouraged by the lack of violence during the protests. Economists say the central bank is likely to bring forward an expected interest rate rise in spite of the fears of unrest.

Blood

The protests against the Prime Minister are being led by the "red shirts", supporters of the ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who are calling for new elections.

They queued yesterday to have small amounts of their blood taken by nurses, which was then bottled up and splashed over the gates of the Prime Minister's residence.

Protest leader Nattawut Saikua told Reuters: "We have accomplished what we came to do. We have washed Abhisit's house with the blood of the common people to express our wish."

The protests seem to be thinning out, with only 40,000 still on Bangkok's streets, compared with 150,000 over the past few days.