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Thailand’s police and government were left with red faces this morning when a commando raid to arrest a group of hard-core red-shirt leaders staying at a Bangkok hotel failed miserably. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban went on the television about 10 a.m. to announce the raid on the SC Park Hotel - where red-shirt protest leaders Arisman Pongruengrong , Suporn Atthawong alias Isan Rambo, Pramual Chuklom alias Jiew Dokchik and Payap Pankate , have been hiding out. These leaders are among the 24 wanted on arrest warrants in connection with the violent protests, the Bangkok Post reported. Unfortunately, the police bungled the raid. The wanted men apparently got wind of the operation and alerted their supporters, who rushed to the hotel. Red-shirt guards reportedly opened fire at the police as they resisted arrest. Arisman was seen on TV making an ungainly escape, sliding down a rope from a room on the third floor of the hotel to a truck parked beneath and into the waiting arms of red-shirt supporters, who whisked him away. The other four leaders also made good their escape, escorted away by protesters as police stood idly by, unable to take any action.

Thai police, government left red-faced after Red Shirts' leader's 'rope escape' from hotel