Protesters clash with police in Bangkok

Protesters calling for prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, above, to step down rallied in Bangkok on Saturday, clashing with police in the first major demonstration against the government since it came to power last year.

Organisers had spoken of mobilising hundreds of thousands of supporters. But only about 10,000 turned up, and by dusk the leaders called the rally off.

However, the tense gathering served as a reminder that the simmering political divisions unleashed after the nation’s 2006 army coup have not gone away. The coup toppled Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, triggering years of instability.