In Thailand, security forces fought street battles with protesters in the heart of Bangkok yesterday which left 15 persons dead and 680 injured. The dead included 11 civilians and four soldiers. A Japanese cameraman with the Reuters news agency was among those killed as the army launched a crackdown on "Red Shirt" supporters of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva offered his condolences for the deaths but refused to bow to the protesters' calls to resign.The mostly poor and rural Reds accuse the government of being illegitimate because it came to power with military backing in 2008 after a court ousted Thaksin's allies from power.Thousands more demonstrators were also refusing to leave another rally site in the main commercial district of the Thai capital, demanding Abhisit dissolve Parliament.