BANGKOK - The Thai government declared Thursday it had mostly quelled 10 weeks of violent protests in the capital while buildings smoldered, troops rooted out small pockets of resistance and residents attempted a return to normal life.

But a nighttime curfew was extended in Bangkok and 23 other provinces for three more days, and earlier troops and die-hard protesters exchanged sporadic fire in parts of the city.

A major military operation the day before, in which at least 15 people were killed and 96 wounded, had cleared a large portion of a protest encampment that had been set up in the center of the capital for six weeks.