Thai protesters parade coffins after deadly weekend clashes

Bangkok: Red-shirted protesters have paraded coffins through Thailand's capital in a renewed attempt to pressure the government to step down after street fighting left 21 people dead, pushing this Southeast Asian nation closer to political anarchy.

Neither side appeared willing to end the stalemate, which descended into the worst political violence Thailand has seen in two decades this weekend.

On Monday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva blamed the bloodshed on a small group of troublemakers, whom he called terrorists, rather than the entire protest movement, but he continued to refuse to dissolve his government.

The red-shirted protesters and security forces clashed Saturday on the streets of Bangkok for several hours.