POLICE hurled tear gas canisters at protesters late this evening (Feb. 10) after they moved from Pathumwan intersection to Metropolitan Police headquarters to pressure them to release 10 people they had detained earlier, Sanook.com said.
The tear gas vapours led to many protesters becoming nauseous with their eyes and nose stinging. They also found tear gas canisters near the assembly point.
Today’s protest, entitled “A gathering of people with nothing to eat, banging pots to chase away the dictator,” had lasted hours.
A key goal was to evict the government which they claimed mismanaged the Covid-19 situation as the implemented measures destroyed the economy and left people jobless.
Read earlier report: Thai protest leader kicks off rally at Pathumwan intersection
The demonstration at Pathumwan intersection was called after four People’s Party leaders and members were detained over a rally that took place at Sanam Luang at the end of 2020, Siam Rath newspaper said.
Two key leaders of the group, lawyer Anon Nampa and student leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, and two others were denied bail and sent to pretrial detention by the Criminal Court on Tuesday over charges of violating the lese majeste law.
The rally at the skywalk in front of MBK shopping mall was led by Mr. Panupong Chadnok or Mike Rayong.
In a speech given in front of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Mike said that Thailand was to be the coronavirus vaccine production centre for Asean but it so turned out that neighbouring countries have already all obtained it.
He also found fault with the government’s financial relief measures, saying that not everyone had got the handouts.
He added that he submitted a letter to the Finance Ministry that if there is not enough funds there is no need to borrow, just cut the monarchy and the military budgets.
He also said that if the government does not want to be criticised then it should abolish Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, and implement their three demands, which are that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his group resign; Parliament immediately open an extraordinary session to accept the people’s draft constitution amendment; and monarchy reform.
Earlier after a protest banner was seized from demonstrators Mike hit out at the authorities by warning that similar banners will be put up across the country and that if they did not like the wording, it would be ten times stronger.
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This evening’s demonstration at Pathumwan intersection and later at Metropolitan Police headquarters. Photos: Siam Rath and Sanook.com
