POLICE asked netizens to publicise an image of a man wearing a check shirt who they said threw several bomb-like objects at the team that confronted the protesters in Sanam Luang area last night during which 50 officers were injured, 11 of them hospitalized, Sanook.com said this afternoon (March 21).
Those who have any information about this suspect are urged to contact either Chana Songkram or Samranrat police stations.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Yingyot Thepchamnong, spokesman of the Royal Thai Police, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Piya Tawichai, deputy chief and spokesman of Metropolitan Police, said the demonstration violated the emergency decree and other laws related to public assembly as well as the use of obstacles with action being taken to prevent damage to important places and injury.
Police had followed crowd control tactics in accordance to international principles, they added.
Yesterday’s demonstration started at 5 p.m. and only ended at 20 minutes past midnight. Protesters had assembled at Sanam Luang and Democracy Monument and at 5.35 p.m. police announced that this assembly violated the law but were driven out by the protesters by 6 p.m.
The protesters then moved to demolish the barricade and jointly removed containers, throwing stones, glass and iron balls as well as giant firecrackers at police to try to break through to the restricted area.
As police feared important places could be set ablaze they started spraying water cannons and pushed the crowd out of the Sanam Luang area.
The protesters then split up into two groups, with one moving to Pinklao bridge and the other to Khok Wua intersection and the Democracy Monument.
At 9 p.m. protesters started buring many assets and smashed several police vehicles and it was only 20 minutes past midnight that control was imposed.
Twenty suspects were arrested under the emergency decree and Disease Control Act as well as the assembly of more than 10 people to create unrest, using weapons and violence.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Pol. Maj. Gen. Piya and an image the suspected bomber. Thai headline says. “Hunting for a suspect who threw bombs at police.”
Home Page: The same suspect shown on the police monitor. Photos: Sanook.com
