Police and protesters clashed in the Thai capital Bangkok on Tuesday, the latest in a string of demonstrations over the government and its handling of the pandemic, with riot cops using tear gas and rubber bullets on the crowd.
Thousands of protesters gathered in the city to demonstrate against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his government over their management of the health crisis and for allegedly taking advantage of the pandemic to stifle critics.
However, law enforcement clashed with the attendees when large numbers of riot police were deployed to disperse the crowds. Videos shared on social media showed officers firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.
18.35 น. ตำรวจระดมยิงกระสุนยาง และแก๊สน้ำตาไปยังกลุ่มผู้ชุมนุมอย่างต่อเนื่อง สถานการณ์บริเวณดินแดงยังคงตึงเครียด #ม็อบ10สิงหาpic.twitter.com/K5vDOW2Hn5
ตอนประยุทธ์ยึดอำนาจท่านนายกยิ่งลักษณ์ เหตุผลว่าไม่ต้องการเห็นความสูญเสียของปชช.ที่ถูกกลุ่มกปปส.ทำร้าย มาวันนี้ผลประกอบการของประยุทธ์ต่างกันที่ จนท.รัฐ เป็นผู้ทำร้ายปชช.เสียเอง ประยุทธ์จะยังจำคำพูดของตนเองได้มั้ย? ไม่อยากเห็นปชช.บาดเจ็บล้มตาย ก็จงออกไป #ม็อบ10สิงหา#ประยุทธ์ออกไปpic.twitter.com/FnHnBB4QYW
Some protesters who did not join the car mob to King Power have confronted riot police on Din Daeng. Rubbers bullets and tear gas are now being used.#ม็อบ10สิงหา#WhatsHappeningInThailandpic.twitter.com/8XgK7EiQiI
Other disturbing videos showed dozens of armed police officers apparently targeting singled-out civilians, beating them to the ground and striking them with their batons.
ตำรวจรุมกระทืบประชาชน จนสงบแน่นิ่งไปเลย สูญสิ้นความเป็นคนโดยสมบูรณ์แบบ ถ้าไม่ใส่เครื่องแบบ จะคิดว่าเป็นโจรผู้ก่อการร้าย #ม็อบ10สิงหาpic.twitter.com/mLP5ilnpIt
Local authorities reported at least six police officers were injured in Tuesday’s clashes and at least six protesters arrested. It’s not clear how many protesters have been hurt.
Some in the crowd threw rocks and other projectiles at the officers, littering the streets with debris. Two police booths were also set alight during the latest protests.
Another police booth at the Victory Monument was burned down. #ม็อบ10สิงหา#WhatsHappeningInThailandpic.twitter.com/S4Z7l3yDRN
The deputy head of the Bangkok police force, Piya Tavicha, told local media that the actions of the protesters show an “intent to damage government property and the public” as well as to “hurt police officers.”
A wave of mass protests broke out in early 2020 calling for political and constitutional reform in Thailand, as well as changes to the role of the nation’s monarchy, which were met with a tough police crackdown. However, these protests were largely suspended when the government introduced a ban on public gatherings as a Covid-mitigation measure during the pandemic – a move which critics say was instead an effort to silence the people and quash political dissent.
The hashtag #WhatsHappeningInThailand has been adopted to spread videos of Thai police violently cracking down on protesting citizens, and has been used by some activists to compare Thailand’s situation with the one in Myanmar and show solidarity between anti-government protesters.
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