Thai government supporters and opposition protesters have opened fire on each other on the streets of Bangkok, as tension builds across Thailand ahead of today's general election.
The violence began on Saturday during clashes in the Laksi district of Bangkok's north after government supporters marched on a polling station occupied by anti-government groups.
Both sides fired pistols and machine guns and there were numerous loud explosions.
Six people were wounded in front of a suburban shopping mall, while gunmen among the crowds were seen hiding their weapons before backing away from the shooting.
Sporadic gunfire continued as the sun began to set, with masked men openly firing handguns.
Security forces fired warning shots in the air with M-16s to allow at least a dozen protesters taking cover under an elevated highway to escape.
"Authorities were able to control today's clashes quickly and the situation has improved now," national security council chief Paradorn Pattantabutr said.
It was not immediately clear whether those wounded were the government's supporters or its opponents.
The government's decision to press ahead with the election has riled protesters and inflamed tension in Bangkok where demonstrators are in their third week of an occupation of several main intersections.
Ten people have died and at least 577 have been wounded in politically-related violence since late November, according to the Erawan Medical Centre, which monitors Bangkok hospitals.