Thai police blasted protesters with water cannons and used tear gas on Tuesday, hurting several people in a bid to push back a demonstration at parliament demanding constitutional changes that would touch on the powerful monarchy.
Police targeted protesters who tried to cut their way through razor-wire barricades. Then they fired tear gas at the demonstrators. Ambulances ferried the injured to hospital. Bangkok’s Erawan Medical Centre said five people were hospitalised due to tear gas and others were treated at the scene.
“This is brutal,” said a 31-year-old volunteer with the FreeYouth protest group who gave his name as Oh. The group posted pictures of riot police on Twitter with the caption “Dictator’s lackeys!”
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Police declared that protests were banned within 50 metres of the area.
“Protesters tried to break through the barricades to enter the restricted area,” police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen told reporters.
A protester has his eyes doused with milk during an anti-government demonstration in Bangkok. Photo: Reuters
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Seven draft constitutional amendments were expected to be voted on after a two-day joint session of the House and Senate. Constitutional changes require a joint vote of those two bodies. Any that are passed will have to go through second and third readings at least a month after this week’s vote.
