Thailand's prime minister survived a no-confidence vote today that was called after anti-government protests crippled the capital and 89 people were killed in street battles, AP reported. Opposition lawmakers accused Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of brutally suppressing the protests. Abhisit defended himself during debate in Parliament on Tuesday, promising an independent investigation into whether the army used undue force to clear demonstrators from Bangkok's streets. The lower house of Parliament voted 246-186 to reject the no-confidence motion against Abhisit, who needed at least 238 votes to survive the motion. Street clashes, grenade attacks and sniper fire killed 89 people and wounded some 1,800 over 10 weeks of protests in the capital. The political turmoil also cost the economy billions of dollars. The thousands of Red Shirt protesters had been calling for Abhisit to dissolve Parliament immediately and call new elections, saying his government came to power illegitimately and represented a Bangkok elite indifferent to the plight of the rural and urban poor. -- SPA
