Thai Police Deploy Water Cannons to Disperse Anti-Government Rally... Clashes with Protesters

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] On the 16th, Thai police used water cannons to forcibly disperse anti-government protesters, leading to clashes with the demonstrators.

On that day, Thai police issued a warning broadcast to protesters gathered at the Pathumwan intersection in downtown Bangkok, stating that they were violating an emergency decree banning political gatherings of five or more people, and then attempted a sudden dispersal. Protesters barricaded themselves with benches and confronted the police, resulting in clashes.

The dispersal operation involved two water cannons, and some citizens hit by the water cannons were seen washing their faces and eyes at nearby drinking fountains.

The protest location was changed to the Pathumwan intersection after the originally planned Ratchaprasong intersection was blocked by the police. Despite the emergency decree being in effect, more than 10,000 people attended an anti-government rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection the previous day.

The anti-government protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and monarchy reform have continued for three days since they began on the 14th.

Demonstrators in the Thai pro-democracy movement are holding an anti-government rally in downtown Bangkok on the 16th.
Photo by Yonhap/AFP

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.