Bangkok - The Thai cabinet on Tuesday approved 247 million baht (7.5 million dollars) to pay for new riot gear in anticipation of more street protests in 2010, media reports said. Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command requested the special budget because the political situation this year is expected to be tense, the Bangkok Post website reported.

The new riot gear includes tear gas canisters and launchers, rubber bullets, helmets and shields.

Last year was relatively quiet, with only one major riot in Bangkok in mid-April that left two people dead. An escalation in street violence is expected this year as supporters of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra put pressure on the government to resign and call for a new election.

Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, was ousted by a coup in September 2006.

A post-coup government froze Shinawatra bank accounts worth 2 billion dollars. A court is due rule by next month whether to seize the entire amount for the state, a pending decision that some observers believe is adding momentum to the pro-Thaksin movement.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/30...-riot-gear.html

Can't have a riot unless there is a reason for folks to gather and get going.

Howzabout the government work on reducing societal tensions?

No investments for retirement or marriage visa but for a riot????

Article failed to point out that the 2 dead, were not dead at the hand of the government, but at the hands of normal Thai citizens, who tried to stop hooligan red shirts from destroying portions of their market...

Article failed to point out that the 2 dead, were not dead at the hand of the government, but at the hands of normal Thai citizens, who tried to stop hooligan red shirts from destroying portions of their market...

No problem with the POLICE having modern riot gear, but why is it always the "Red Shirts who are the problem? Will such gear be used against the "Yellows" should they start invading airports again and causing untold billions of baht losses to the tourist trade? We all know the answer to that one.

Article failed to point out that the 2 dead, were not dead at the hand of the government, but at the hands of normal Thai citizens, who tried to stop hooligan red shirts from destroying portions of their market...

This may be a prelude to the upcoming decision on Thaksin assets. And I happy to say maybe he will become a poor man

I just hope it's better quality stuff than that Chinese rubbish they bought last time (whilst bugetting for decent equipment twice the price then skimming the budget). Remember the deadly exploding tear gas cannisters in October 2008?

I just hope it's better quality stuff than that Chinese rubbish they bought last time (whilst bugetting for decent equipment twice the price then skimming the budget). Remember the deadly exploding tear gas cannisters in October 2008?

dont we all? The chinese equipment are bad quality just as the tag. Just like those chinese tanks

Article failed to point out that the 2 dead, were not dead at the hand of the government, but at the hands of normal Thai citizens, who tried to stop hooligan red shirts from destroying portions of their market...

No problem with the POLICE having modern riot gear, but why is it always the "Red Shirts who are the problem? Will such gear be used against the "Yellows" should they start invading airports again and causing untold billions of baht losses to the tourist trade? We all know the answer to that one.

You may remember that the police did indeed use their riot-gear, and defective Chinese exploding gas-grenades, against the Yellow-Shirts in October 2008. Putting some 500 people into hospital, and a few into coffins, let's hope that this new gear is better-quality.