Thai riot police charged into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators at a protest yesterday morning outside Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's office, detaining dozens of people after activists overnight stormed the government compound demanding the leader's ouster.
More than 1,000 helmeted riot police were stationed outside the prime minister's office when about 100 officers pushed into the demonstrators on orders from the national police chief, General Kowit Watana, who arrived at the scene and shouted, "Round them up!"
One middle-aged man, bleeding from the forehead, appeared to be the only protester injured.
Forty people were charged with illegal gathering and causing a public disturbance, said police Colonel Monthien Prathipwanit. Most of those arrested could face up to two years in prison and a 4,000 baht (US$101) fine, while the two protest leaders could face five years in prison and a 10,000 baht fine if found guilty.
The demonstration yesterday morning, which drew about 100 people, came hours after some 2,000 people marched overnight and briefly occupied Government House, the compound housing the prime minister's office. The march followed a fiery anti-government rally on Friday night by wealthy publisher Sondhi Limthongkul.
Thaksin reacted angrily to the protesters during his weekly radio address yesterday morning.
"They can protest. Democracy has diversity. But it is unacceptable to break through the gates of government late at night," Thaksin said.
Neither the prime minister or any other major officials were apparently at Government House during the protest.
The events were the most dramatic yet in an ongoing political crusade by Sondhi, a one-time supporter of the prime minister who has led a vigorous campaign against Thaksin, accusing his government of corruption and abuse of power.
Sondhi has been holding regular anti-government rallies at Bangkok's Lumpini Park since late last year, attracting as many as 30,000 listeners.
Friday night's Lumpini Park rally drew thousands of people.
Thai television reports said Sondhi was accompanied by several prominent government critics, including a former police chief and one-time senator, Pratin Santiprapop, Senator Chirmsak Pinthong and Klanarong Chanthik, former secretary-general of the National Counter Corruption Commission.
After making anti-government speeches, Sondhi marched with protesters from the park to Government House, where several hundred people broke into the compound.
SEEKING CHANGE: A hospital worker said she did not vote in previous elections, but ‘now I can see that maybe my vote can change the system and the country’ Voting closed yesterday across the Solomon Islands in the south Pacific nation’s first general election since the government switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing and struck a secret security pact that has raised fears of the Chinese navy gaining a foothold in the region. The Solomon Islands’ closer relationship with China and a troubled domestic economy weighed on voters’ minds as they cast their ballots. As many as 420,000 registered voters had their say across 50 national seats. For the first time, the national vote also coincided with elections for eight of the 10 local governments. Esther Maeluma cast her vote in the
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
HYPOCRISY? The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday asked whether Biden was talking about China or the US when he used the word ‘xenophobic’ US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a hike in steel tariffs on China, accusing Beijing of cheating as he spoke at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Biden accused China of xenophobia, too, in a speech to union members in Pittsburgh. “They’re not competing, they’re cheating. They’re cheating and we’ve seen the damage here in America,” Biden said. Chinese steel companies “don’t need to worry about making a profit because the Chinese government is subsidizing them so heavily,” he said. Biden said he had called for the US Trade Representative to triple the tariff rates for Chinese steel and aluminum if Beijing was