In Thailand, flooding has plagued large areas of the country since July, and now it appears to be headed for the city of Bangkok. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has issued an evacuation warning for suburbs of the area, which caused many citizens there to panic. Flood waters are flowing south toward Bangkok, and have already affected northern parts of the city.

The youngest sister of Thailand’s ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra is poised to become the country’s sixth leader in under five years. Introducing herself to our partner the BBC as "just a simple lady, and a lady that will be willing and sincere to help the country," Yingluck Shinawatra is Thailand's president-elect following Sunday's elections, which gave a resounding win to the Puea Thai political party. 

The Thai government has imposed a curfew in Bangkok after a military operation to remove protesters from the city center. However, there is still fighting in parts of the capital and TV cameras are showing smoke rising from burning buildings. The BBC's Lucy Williamson is in Bangkok. She tells us what she's seeing there and whether the crisis is over.

The authorities in Thailand say they've received a new offer of a ceasefire from anti-government protesters, who've been engaged in a violent stand-off with the army in Bangkok.

 

Anti-government unrest continues in downtown Bangkok and has spread to other areas of the capital, leaving at least 37 dead and hundreds injured in four days. On Sunday, the Thai government ruled out U.N.-backed mediation talks, which had been suggested by protest leaders; the government says no outside help is needed.  

The Global Post's Thailand correspondent, Patrick Winn describes the chaos in Bangkok; headlines.

Thai General Khattiya Sawasdiphol was shot yesterday before a crowd of reporters and protesters in a busy street in Central Bangkok. The general, who broke ranks with the government in support of the protesters, remains in critical condition.

The prime minister of Thailand this morning rejected an ultimatum from anti-government protesters to call a snap election. Tens of thousands of demonstrators are currently in front of the army barracks in Bangkok where the prime minister has been staying.

Donald G. McNeil Jr., a science reporter for The New York Times, joins us with a look at what could be a significant breakthrough in the fight against the spread of HIV. Researchers have announced the results of a six-year, 16,000-person study in Thailand, and it appears that an experimental HIV vaccine has cut the risk of infection by almost one-third when compared to a placebo. This is the first time a vaccine has cut the risk of infection at all.

In Bangkok, anti-government protests have turned violent. Supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are calling for the removal of the current ruler, Abhisit Vejjajiva, who took office four months ago. Thai soldiers dispensed tear gas and fired shots at the protesters, who responded with throwing gasoline bombs. Around 70 people are injured, but there are no reported deaths. For more we turn to Seth Mydans, the Southeast Asia correspondent for the New York Times.

For footage of the violent protests, watch the video below.

There's no let up in the political turmoil in Thailand. This past year the country has had four prime ministers. The most recently-elected prime minister has been greeted with calls to dissolve the legislature and initiate general elections. Of course he hasn't been able to do anything yet because his first speech, which is mandatory for him to take office, was delayed twice due to massive protests. The incoming prime minister finally managed to give the speech today at an improvised parliament session. BBC Correspondent Jonathan Head joins us from Bangkok.

After months of unrest in Thailand, the country's parliament has elected the leader of the opposition Democrat party, Abhisit Vejjajiva, as the new prime minister.