Why Doesn't Thailand Use Crowd Control Weapons

[wasabi]

I posted this last year when the yellows were in the airport. I don't understand why Thailand doesn't have non lethal crowd dispersing weapons given their problems with large unruly mobs and this most recent episode was not the first and won't be the last. There are weapons that emit light and sound or heat that will 'smoke 'em out' but leave no one hurt. Not a single person needed to die, not a single building needed to fall. These weapons do cost millions but surely this investment would have been better than the billions lost and cultural erosion that has happened as a result of the mishandling of crowd control.

[mmushr00m]

Dont think they will work against a large determined crowd armed with lethal weapons.

[jdinasia]

Flawed logic ----

When protesters are armed with explosives, m79 grenades, automatic weapons, etc ... then what you do when you send in the LRAD or watercannon is lose them and the people that are trained to use them.

[Explorer]

".. mishandling of crowd control"

we are not dealing with football hooligans after a bad game here. these "crowd" or protesters are armed with lethal weapons. go up country more and you will see 1 out of 3 local thai owns a gun or atleast one deadly weapon.

so, imagine if the police / army are using "flash bang" and the protesters are using grenades - fair?

[wasabi]

I realize at the stage it reached yes it was too late to use such weapons but when they first started camping out behind tires was when they may have helped. The ole nip it in the bud strategy. Then again maybe nothing could have stopped this?

[BigWheelMan]

You`re asking a logical question in the land of no logic.

This is the country of a million questions and no answers where common sense sits on the back row.

In Thailand it`s:

Mine is not the reason why, but to do or die.

[321niti123]

They do, not sure about during the Yellow protest, but it was on a thai newspaper that they bought water cannons, shields, rubber bullets, tear gas, etc. It just doesn't work against a determined crowd infiltrated by terrorist. They tried Tear gas on April 10 (in the afternoon) the wind changed direction and the gas was blown back to the soldiers.

[DP25]

They did use crowd control weapons. LRAD, water cannons mounted on vehicles, and tear gas. In one of the threads there was even a good picture of two vehicles firing their water cannons. It wasn't enough.

Edited May 21, 2010 by DP25

[mzqueenie]

Maybe the Thai force don't want to use harsh tactics, although the protesters were armed with deadly weapon, maybe it's time for change of tactic since this incident in Bangkok happened.

[jombom]

Somebody told me tear gas does not work, because everybody is so used to eating spicey food, that they have become immune, and of course the water cannon is just Songkran all over again.

[TokyoT]

Water cannon after the nice civlized non-violent protesters got their hands on them.

You can see the nozzel of the water cannon behind the destroyed cab of in the first pic.

[Tokay]

Because bullets and the cost of human life is cheaper here.

[Changian]

From January this year:

Cabinet on Tuesday gave the army 247 million baht ($7.5 million) to buy new rubber bullets, tear gas and other anti-riot equipment, in anticipation of fresh anti-government protests.

The army would buy 3,750 shields, 3,750 batons, 5,200 tear gas grenades and 260 launchers, 5,200 hand-held tear gas canisters, 487,500 rubber bullets and 130 net launchers, it added.

Source - Bangkok Pundit

Wonder how much of the budget actually got spent on these items as they didn't appear to be used recently.

[enginerevision]

Because bullets and the cost of human life is cheaper here.

mai pen rai

[misterjag]

It sounds to me like they bought riot gear. Unfortunately, it takes a lot more than riot gear to deal with a riot. First, you need well-trained, loyal soldiers (or police) stationed in or near the Bangkok area ready to move at a moment's notice. Well, they didn't have that. They had to call in units of special forces from outlying provinces because the local soldiers/police were sympathetic with the Red Shirts and had no stomach for doing the dirty work. By the time the government figured out what was needed and the units were transported and ready, the Red Shirts were well entrenched.

The government ought to assemble a Praetorian Guard of loyal, specially-trained soldiers that are available at a moment's notice to handle groups of violent demonstrators.

[dingdongrb]

The government ought to assemble a Praetorian Guard of loyal, specially-trained soldiers that are available at a moment's notice to handle groups of violent demonstrators.

I'm sure that there are some National Guardsmen from the Kent State escapade that would have been more than happy to volunteer...

[petedk]

They should have used crowd dispersing weapons or equipment 6 weeks ago when the reds first entered Rajaprasong instead of just standing back and watching.

They've (the Red shirts) have had 6 weeks of freedom to organise the whole encampment, smuggle in weapons, tyres and petrol.

[Ulysses G.]

Ain't hindsight grand?

[JetsetBkk]

Ain't hindsight grand?

Sure is.

It got into this mess because of incompetence in the way it was handled by the police, army, government and especially Abhisit.

Incompetent morons the lot of 'em. And now they pay. Som nam na.

[MisterBeetle]

Ain't hindsight grand?

Sure is.

It got into this mess because of incompetence in the way it was handled by the police, army, government and especially Abhisit.

Incompetent morons the lot of 'em. And now they pay. Som nam na.

I don't quite agree with that comment. "Incompetent morons"? So who would have done the job better?

I agree that the government is far from perfect, but that is age old problem here, i.e. corruption etc.

Abhisit is probably the best PM this country has ever had!

Given the situation, IMHO Abhisit did quite a decent job. And believe it or not, a lot of Thais I have spoken to in the last two days have said the same thing. They are all shocked by the events that have happened but still have faith that Abhisit will bring the country through this terrible event.

[GM1955]

Ain't hindsight grand?

Sure is.

It got into this mess because of incompetence in the way it was handled by the police, army, government and especially Abhisit.

Incompetent morons the lot of 'em. And now they pay. Som nam na.

I don't quite agree with that comment. "Incompetent morons"? So who would have done the job better?

ThaiVisa members apparently.

[Chivas]

Somebody told me tear gas does not work, because everybody is so used to eating spicey food, that they have become immune, and of course the water cannon is just Songkran all over again.

You don't become immune to tear gas !!

[AleG]

As shown, water canons were not only destroyed, but I even saw the torn away nozzles being used to launch rockets by the red shirts afterwards!

In any case what's needed before crowd control weapons is a police force that knows how to do crowd control, and more importantly, is willing to do their duty. I saw police standing idly while protesters built a barricade and set it on fire on the Asoke/Sukumvit intersection right in front of the police kiosk... and there were two "protesters" and 4 or 5 policemen!

Come to think of it, next time there's an unlawful protest and/or riot, just tell the police that for every protester detained they will get 100 baht, it will be over in a jiffy.

[shawndoc]

Somebody told me tear gas does not work, because everybody is so used to eating spicey food, that they have become immune, and of course the water cannon is just Songkran all over again.

You don't become immune to tear gas !!

No, but its not that effective either. It makes you uncomfortable, but easy enough to withstand and continue to function, especially when used in an open air environment where the gas quickly disperses.

Great for breaking up a bunch of rowdy kids, not so much for a determined mob.

[JetsetBkk]

<snip>

It got into this mess because of incompetence in the way it was handled by the police, army, government and especially Abhisit.

Incompetent morons the lot of 'em. And now they pay. Som nam na.

I don't quite agree with that comment. "Incompetent morons"? So who would have done the job better?

I agree that the government is far from perfect, but that is age old problem here, i.e. corruption etc.

Abhisit is probably the best PM this country has ever had!

Given the situation, IMHO Abhisit did quite a decent job. And believe it or not, a lot of Thais I have spoken to in the last two days have said the same thing. They are all shocked by the events that have happened but still have faith that Abhisit will bring the country through this terrible event.

I disagree. These "red" protesters should've been stopped weeks ago. The police are not trained how to use the equipment they have, let alone care about protesters building barricades:

<snip>

In any case what's needed before crowd control weapons is a police force that knows how to do crowd control, and more importantly, is willing to do their duty. I saw police standing idly while protesters built a barricade and set it on fire on the Asoke/Sukumvit intersection right in front of the police kiosk... and there were two "protesters" and 4 or 5 policemen!

<snip>

I agree that the government is far from perfect, but that is age old problem here, i.e. corruption etc.

Just because the problem is "age old", it doesn't excuse the government or security forces from being incompetent. Do you think this situation would have occurred in a more western - dare I say more civilised - society?

Of course not. The barricades would not have been allowed to go up. The pickups and trucks openly carrying rubber tyres and other material into the red area would have been stopped. But a few baht into the right BiB's pocket got them through.

[TigerWan]

I too wondered why more crowd control wasn't used.

This may or may not apply to T-Land's current situation but often governments gain from allowing protests to become enraged unruly mobs.

Indeed, it's been known to happen governments send in infiltrators to begin the violence.

And when a sizeable portion of the police and army actually supports the protests, easy to see how it all goes SNAFU.

Seems nothing has actually been resolved, me thinks this isn't over.

[misterjag]

I too wondered why more crowd control wasn't used.

This may or may not apply to T-Land's current situation but often governments gain from allowing protests to become enraged unruly mobs.

Indeed, it's been known to happen governments send in infiltrators to begin the violence.

And when a sizeable portion of the police and army actually supports the protests, easy to see how it all goes SNAFU.

Seems nothing has actually been resolved, me thinks this isn't over.

Good point. The Yellow Shirts were handled with kid gloves and never prosecuted because they served the purposes of those who wanted to bring down the government.

[Douggie Style]

It is a good question and one I asked...the answer was that the police do not want to be involved in clearing protesters...they do not want to be politicised..it cause too many problems for them down the track..so the army gets called in for any serious stuff

Edited May 22, 2010 by Douggie Style

[hippy]

".. mishandling of crowd control"

we are not dealing with football hooligans after a bad game here. these "crowd" or protesters are armed with lethal weapons. go up country more and you will see 1 out of 3 local thai owns a gun or atleast one deadly weapon.

so, imagine if the police / army are using "flash bang" and the protesters are using grenades - fair?

was there actually any violence before the police or army moved in ???

also do you yellow shirt supporters really think if the government sent in the army and police when yellows took over airport there would be no violence??? If you answer no then you really are deluded!!

most of you are saying abhisit did his job and did it well , so why nothing done when yellow shirts did the same???? THis is why this is not the end of this violence and frustration of the reds or indeed the yellows if they dont win next election

[britmaveric]

Actually they did use them - sonic trucks got captured and water cannons destroyed.

The govt failure to react within hrs is what is responsible for the mayhem at the end of the day. Allowing a mass group of protesters to entrench themselves is what made things difficult. If they would have reacted properly in the beginning - most of this would have been prevented. Same could have been said about the Parliament and airport stays. It seems to me - a new unit (rapid deployment and reaction) needs to be created and applied if not we will see this sort of thing over and over again.