A brazen attack by gunmen April 17 wounded the protest leader who helped topple Thailand's government in 2006 and paralyzed the capital last year, reheating political temperatures that had started to cool after several days of rioting by opposing forces.

Sondhi Limthongkul, an outspoken media tycoon and founder of the People's Alliance for Democracy, was ambushed on his way to work. At least two men in a pickup truck opened fire on his car with M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles, police spokesman Suporn Pansua said.

Sondhi, whose "yellow shirt" alliance helped install the current government, was in stable condition and recovering rapidly as of April 18.