Number Three in our trilogy of violence street protests is the anti-government trouble in Bangkok.  At least four people were killed in Tuesday’s battles in the country’s bitter class war, and scores of protesters and cops are recovering from various injuries.

Estimates range from 15,000 to 25,000 cops took part in the “Peace for Bangkok” mission to reclaim the streets and government buildings paralyzed by the anti-democracy protesters.  One police officer was shot in the head and two protesters also died from gunshot wounds. 

Another officer lost his leg when he bravely tried to kick away a hand grenade thrown at police by protesters (graphic video).  Protesters cheered as he writhed on the ground in pain.  In all, 64-people were wounded in the clashes, according to the Erawan Emergency Center, a medical unit monitoring the unrest in Thailand.

The protesters have been campaigning for months for the ouster of popularly-elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who they claim is a puppet for his billionaire exile brother.  The urban, educated middle class and royalist opposition also resent the electoral clout of the Shinawatra base in the north, the area that used to provide their servants.

Protest leaders have openly and repeatedly called replacing elected government with an appointed ruling panel of “good people” to run the country.  The opposition hasn’t been able to win an election since before 1992, and boycotted this month’s national elections.