Thousands of democracy advocates yesterday gathered in downtown Bangkok after six people were shot the previous day in violent clashes, as lawmakers voted on possible constitutional reforms.
Thailand has been rocked by months of protests demanding changes to the constitution, the removal of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and even changes to the monarchy.
Tuesday saw the most violent confrontations since the movement began in July, as police used tear gas and water cannons on protesters trying to reach the National Assembly, and democracy advocates clashed with royalists.
Photo: EPA-EFE
More than 50 people were injured, six of them with gunshot wounds, medical officials said, although it is not clear who was responsible for the shootings.
Protesters yesterday gathered at the Ratchaprasong junction in Bangkok’s shopping and commercial heart, after their leaders vowed to step up the movement.
Police used dumper trucks, concrete blocks and razor wire to barricade their headquarters, while many protesters came with helmets, goggles and gas masks.
“We will protect our people,” protester Jay, 26, said. “We don’t want any violence, but there will be no compromise.”
Royal Thai Police spokesman Major-General Yingyos Thepjamnong warned protesters not to encroach on the police headquarters, saying that more than 2,000 officers had been deployed.
Thai National Assembly members yesterday voted on options for changing the constitution, with most of them opposed to a demand from protesters for a proposal that could mean changes to the role of the monarchy.
Prayuth’s supporters have a majority in the National Assembly, where the entire Senate was appointed by the junta that he led after a 2014 coup.
Only one of seven proposals for constitutional reform would potentially allow amending the role of the monarchy, which protesters have said has enabled decades of military domination.
“The government coalition will vote to accept two drafts, which do not change articles related to the monarchy, but refrain from voting on the iLaw draft,” Thai Shadow Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chinnaworn Boonyakiat said, referring to a proposal from the iLaw human rights group that would allow for the monarchy’s place to be discussed.
Individual voting on each proposal by the 487 elected members of the Thai House of Representatives and 245 senators was expected to take several hours.
“If we want solutions for our country, we need to adopt the iLaw draft,” Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat said. “While we were sitting in an air-conditioned room, officers used violence on many people.”
Additional reporting by Reuters
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from