THOUSANDS of protesters were bombarded with high-pressure water cannons with some of them feeling their eyes burn when they reached the 1st Infantry Regiment compound where Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s residence is located but after negotiations with police and starting to clear parts of Viphavadi Rangsit Highway another melee erupted with protesters throwing objects at police, Thai Rath newspaper said.
The second confrontation broke out in front of the Veterans Hospital after police units had pulled back to Phaholyothin soi 2 next to it with some protesters throwing objects at police after someone claimed they had found a rubber bullet.
There was also sound of firecrackers going off periodically.
However Dr. Tossaporn Serirak announced through a megaphone that they should stop throwing these objects because fellow protesters too are being hit and some of them obeyed him and moved back to the front of the military compound.
When the protesters arrived at the military compound high-pressure water trucks moved to the front and the rear end of the procession and started firing volleys of powerful water jets. As the eyes of some protesters started burning it was suspected that tear gas was fired as well and there was an appeal of drinking water.
Dr. Tossaporn then negotiated with the police and they agreed to pull back and move out the water trucks provided the protesters did likewise and free up a lane for traffic to flow through.
CAPTION:
Scenes from this evening’s fracas in front of the 1st Infantry Regiment compound and the Veterans Hospital. Photos: Thai Rath
