Police spray water cannon during an anti-government demonstration, in Bangkok, Thailand July 18, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

By Vorasit Satienlerk and Juarawee Kittisilpa

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse protesters trying to march on Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's office on Sunday to demand he resign over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact.

 

Some protesters attacked police and eight police officers and at least one reporter were injured during the clashes, police said.

 

Police did not say if any protesters were injured, but said 13 protesters were arrested.

 

Protest organizers called for the demonstration to end just after 6 p.m. but a stand-off between the police and hundreds of protesters continued for several more hours before the police dispersed the crowd just before the start of a 9 p.m. curfew that is in force in the Thai capital.

 

More than 1,000 people had joined the demonstration.

 

Police intervened with force after some protesters tried to dismantle barbed wire and metal barricades set up by the authorities to block roads from Democracy Monument to Government House where the prime minister works.

 

Deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said the protesters attacked police with "ping-pong bombs, sling shots and fire crackers". He added that the police actions followed laws and regulations and fully complied with international standards in controlling crowds.

 

Street protests against the prime minister have been held in recent weeks by several groups, including Prayuth's former political allies, as frustrations grow over the mounting coronavirus infections and the damage the pandemic has done to the economy.

 

Thailand reported 11,397 infections and 101 deaths on Sunday, bringing the cumulative total to 403,386 cases and 3,341 fatalities, the vast majority from an outbreak since early April that is being fueled by the highly transmissible Alpha and Delta COVID-19 variants.

 

Many protesters on Sunday carried mock body-bags to represent coronavirus deaths.

 

"The government has been poor at managing the situation and if we don't do anything there will be no change," one protester, Kanyaporn Veeratat, 34, told Reuters.

 

The protest marked one year since the first of a wave of large-scale street protests led by youth groups that attracted hundreds of thousands of people across the country.

 

The momentum of those protests stalled after authorities began cracking down on rallies and detaining protest leaders, and after new waves of COVID-19 infections broke out.

 

($1 = 32.7900 baht)

 

(Additional reporting by Panu Wongcha-umEditing by Kim Coghill and Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-19

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

more than 1000 protestor.....It should be better if there were more than hundreds of thousand protestors

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

more than 1000 protestor.....It should be better if there were more than hundreds of thousand protestors

There probably would have been if everyone was not so afraid of COVID. 

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Police intervened with force after some protesters tried to dismantle barbed wire and metal barricades set up by the authorities to block roads from Democracy Monument to Government House where the prime minister works.

Where he clocks in.... 

Other protests around the country however doesnt seem to be frontline news, but plenty of reports on the imaginary success of the quicksand boxes and the millions of tourists who will arrive to play the lets get covid lottery.

37 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

There probably would have been if everyone was not so afraid of COVID. 

Convenient, isn't it?

I see all over the (international) news articles about the police using water canons to disperse the protesters.

 

How about articles that these protests were illegal because of the current Covid laws?

Without illegal protests the police wouldn't have to fight protesters.

 

And if people don't want Prayut maybe it would be a good idea to present a good alternative? And by that I don't mean a criminal ex-PM who pretends he would do everything better.

 

Protests just to protest and then complain that the police does their job are just that: useless protests. 

Protests in Chiang mai last night . 

A procession of cars driving past beeping their horns , flag waving and giving the three finger salute .

   With all the cars beeping their horns , I thought that I was back in Vietnam for a moment  

I couldn't find anything on YouTube last night on the protests.

Just the protests from 8 months ago.

 

Good for them!

39 minutes ago, Thai Dan said:

Convenient, isn't it?

Being arrested then getting COVID-19 in jail.

they went on the streets demand vaccination and clarity from the government, what and when they will get.

They were treated with water canons lased with burning chemicals, gas and rubber bullets were fired without warning and at face level.

several journalists shot, despite being properly signed and geared to protect their bodies. 

 

on twitter over 1mln # "we love them the same"  

 

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

I couldn't find anything on YouTube last night on the protests.

Just the protests from 8 months ago.

 

Good for them!

Plenty about it on UK news channels

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Where he clocks in.... 

Somebody should clock him! Working in Govt House on a Sunday--fat chance!

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Without illegal protests the police wouldn't have to fight protesters.

 

And if people don't want Prayut maybe it would be a good idea to present a good alternative? And by that I don't mean a criminal ex-PM who pretends he would do everything better.

Deëscalation, maybe? New PM, Thamanat certainly knows his business!

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I see all over the (international) news articles about the police using water canons to disperse the protesters.

 

How about articles that these protests were illegal because of the current Covid laws?

Without illegal protests the police wouldn't have to fight protesters.

 

And if people don't want Prayut maybe it would be a good idea to present a good alternative? And by that I don't mean a criminal ex-PM who pretends he would do everything better.

 

Protests just to protest and then complain that the police does their job are just that: useless protests. 

It look likes it disturb you yesterday, while you sleeping?

In general you are not so cru.

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Being arrested then getting COVID-19 in jail.

Voice TV was live on youtube ????

Looking at the OP photo the water cannon operator is showering the police. Probably a sympathizer in the ranks.

4 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Voice TV was live on youtube ????

I couldn't find it.

Anyway I'll take another look this evening.

Thanks

Quote

The best they willl be offered is SinoCrap garbage which is borderline useless. 

 

10 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

There probably would have been if everyone was not so afraid of COVID. 

yes .....  pretty irresponsible to be out in a crowd spreading a virus as many obviously would have unknown to them.

19 minutes ago, steven100 said:

yes .....  pretty irresponsible to be out in a crowd spreading a virus as many obviously would have unknown to them.

Yes pretty irresponsible encouraging people to travel for Songkran, and the host of other utter failures from the useless (and self-proclaimed) Covid Czar.