March 21, 2008
BANGKOK - A 44-year-old Thai activist doused himself with gasoline and set himself ablaze Friday morning in front of the parliament building, reportedly in protest at a vote fraud case, police said.
The activist identified as Man Truatmanka suffered burns over more than 90 percent of his body and was hospitalised in very critical condition, police Lieutenant Colonel Ekachai Srirahong told AFP.
Man burned himself to demand the resignation of the House Speaker Yongyut Tiyapairat.
Yongyut is charged before the Supreme Court of bribing local officials in Chiang Rai to campaign for the ruling People Power Party (PPP) in December election.
But Ekachai insisted that the activist had not made any explicit demands before setting himself on fire. Man's injuries were too severe to question him in hospital, he added.
