Troops guard business zone from protesters

BANGKOK - Thai soldiers armed with machine guns guarded Bangkok's business district on Monday to prevent thousands of anti-government protesters from marching to a bank linked to a royal adviser, raising fears of fresh violence.

An army spokesman said on Monday troops could use force to stop red-shirted supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra from going ahead with plans to march to the Silom Road office district from a luxury shopping area they have occupied for more than two weeks.

"The operations will start from soft to heavy measures," said army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd.