THE much-sought-after yellow duck coupons, with 3,000 of them each worth 10 baht being distributed to the protesters at the rally outside the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) head office last evening (Nov. 25), have been branded illegal, Amarin TV reported this morning.
The coupons were valid for only one day and were usable in purchasing food or other products from participating vendors that displayed a similar motif. There was a long queue to get these coupons with those lucky enough to reach the desk being given only one each.
However this morning the Thai Move Institute stated the case that using the yellow duck coupons instead of cash to purchase goods is an offense under Section 9 of the Currency Act 1958.
Meanwhile gunshots resonated at the protest site last night after which a rescue vehicle quickly took two injured persons to the hospital.
A People’s Party volunteer guard said he saw a plump man wearing a pair of jeans throwing what seemed like a ping pong bomb at the protesters and then firing three gunshots before fleeing.
The two persons who got injured were volunteer guards, he said, adding that he is certain the gunman was sent by a third hand to create trouble after the announcement of the end of the rally at 9. 17 p.m.
A happy moment during last evening’s demonstration was when well-known Thai thinker and writer Sulak Sivarak, who is now 88 years old, showed up to mingle with the protesters who gave him a very warm welcome.
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Top: The yellow duck coupons distributed at the People’s Party rally yesterday. Thai headline says, “illegal.” Photo: Amarin TV
