Protesters ‘behaved badly’
Royalists file complaint against conduct towards royal motorcade
A ROYALIST group calling itself People Protecting the Institution filed a complaint at Metropolitan Police Bureau against student-led protesters, accusing them of inappropriate behaviour during the royal motorcade on Oct 14.
Chakrapong Klinkaew, leader of the group, led lawyers and royalists to submit evidence to police officers, headed by Pol Maj-General Sukhun Prommayon, Metropolitan Police Bureau’s deputy commissioner.
People who came to submit evidence were divided into two groups: those who were at the Nang Loeng intersection, and those who were at Chamaimaruchet bridge near Government House.
Chakrapong said the group has submitted evidence, such as video clips and photographs to the police and asked them to take action against the protesters for alleged inappropriate behaviour during the royal motorcade on Wednesday.
He added that the group would identify the perpetrators later.
Meanwhile, four policemen were among the seven people injured during the crackdown on student-led protesters rallying in Bangkok on Friday, the Erawan Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said yesterday.
Thai police used water cannon against protesters on Friday night in central Bangkok, as the pro-democracy activists defied an emergency decree banning gatherings for a second night running.
Around 2,000 pro-democracy demonstrators in the city’s main shopping mall district had been chanting for the release of arrested activists and hurled obscenities at Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha.
Several hundred riot policemen advanced towards them in formation, calling on the protesters to go home or face the water cannon.
A few metres away, hundreds of activists blocked the road behind a makeshift barrier, calling for the riot police to “get out!” and singing the Thai national anthem.
The injured police personnel were sent to Police General Hospital in Bangkok, while others were treated in government and private hospitals.
Prayut has extended the emergency decree banning gatherings of more than four people until mid-November, ignoring activists’ calls for him to resign.
Opposition party Pheu Thai has called on the government to lift emergency measures and free those detained.
Human Rights Watch warned the emergency decree gave police “the green light to commit rights abuses with impunity” and called for international condemnation.