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BANGKOK: Thousands of protesters gathered at various locations in Bangkok on Saturday (October 17) to call for an end to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s rule, despite clashes on Friday night in which police he used water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Several protesters were arrested.
Despite an emergency decree banning the rallies, the protesters demonstrated for the fourth day in a row, with a youth-led movement, now known as the People, announcing that it will regroup.
Organizers of the protest said Saturday morning that the meeting in Bangkok would be held at 4 pm local time.
They later asked the protesters to be present at all BTS Skytrain stations before 3pm and to consider them as protest sites in case the skytrain stopped its operations before that time.
Bangkok has been under a serious state of emergency since 4 a.m. Thursday, banning any gathering of five or more people, as well as any action that incites unrest.
The publication of electronic news and information with messages that may instill fear in the public, intentionally distort the facts or cause misunderstandings that affect national security or peace and order is also prohibited.
The order was issued by Prime Minister Prayut to control anti-government protesters, who have organized mass demonstrations since Wednesday.
READ: Thai protesters vow to return to the streets after Friday’s clashes
The protests first took place at the Democracy Monument before protesters moved to occupy areas outside the Government House. The protesters were dispersed the next morning by riot police and several protest leaders were arrested.
On Thursday, a large demonstration took place at the Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok’s commercial district. According to the police, at least 10,000 people joined the protest.
READ: Thailand bans protests as challenge to establishment increases
On Friday, protesters regrouped at the Pathumwan intersection, which is located near the Ratchaprasong intersection. At 6.30 p.m. M., The police in all their riot gear began to approach the protesters before beating them with water cannons.
According to police, the water was mixed with non-toxic blue dye and chemical irritants. Several protesters were injured and some more were arrested.
Police told reporters that their actions were in line with international standards and legal under Thai law. Police spokeswoman Krissana Pattanacharoen expressed her condolences to the injured protesters, but said it would not have happened “if no wrongdoing had been committed.”
The use of water cannons and chemical irritants has been criticized as unnecessary, as the protesters appeared to be unarmed and many of them are young.
READ: Thai protest leaders declare an end to the rally after police fired a water cannon in Bangkok
The anti-government movement has called for the end of the government of Prime Minister Prayut, the reform of the monarchy and a change to the current constitution, which was drafted and approved during the military government of Prayut.
In 2014, Prayut led a military coup to overthrow a democratically elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra. He controlled Thailand for five years, before the 2019 elections installed his political party in government.
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The anti-government movement is driven by a coalition of youth groups from across Thailand.
They were first known collectively as the People’s Party, a symbolic reference to a group of revolutionaries behind Thailand’s transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in 1932. However, the name has been changed to Pueblo.
The movement took to the streets after a parliamentary session on September 24, when lawmakers decided not to vote on six statute amendment proposals put forward by the ruling coalition and opposition parties.
Instead, a committee was formed to study the proposals for a month first. The move was said to be an attempt by the government to delay changes to the constitution despite months of pressure from the public.
