Cyprus Mail 19 November 2020 - by Reuters News Service
Thai police have water cannon and teargas to fire at protesters. The answer: inflatable yellow pool ducks.
The giant ducks starred on Wednesday as thousands of protesters massed outside police headquarters in Bangkok.
They had first made an appearance on Tuesday outside parliament in the most violent day of months of demonstrations as protesters used them as shields to advance towards police lines.
“They’re like a mascot now. I saw them being used as shields. Maybe they are not that strong but they are a good stunt,” said a 27-year-old protester named Earn as she posed for a photo with three of the ducks.
One protester said the ducks had originally been bought for fun, but were used as impromptu shields when police used water cannon.
“If the police hadn’t fired water cannon at us, we wouldn’t have had to use them as a shield,” said one protester who gave her name as Wim.
Some sprayed anti-monarchy graffiti.
Thai protesters splashed paint, daubed graffiti and sprayed water on the police headquarters in Bangkok on Wednesday, a day after dozens were hurt by tear gas and water cannon in the worst violence in months of anti-government demonstrations.
Youth-led protests since July have become the biggest challenge to the establishment in years with their demands for the ousting of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a new constitution and reforms to curb the monarchy’s powers.
Tens of thousands joined Wednesday’s protest, which turned the outside of the Royal Thai Police headquarters into a multicoloured mess. Protesters placed dog food at the gate for police in an insult to what they called “slaves of tyranny”.
Protesters said they were enraged by the police response to Tuesday’s demonstration at parliament and the rejection by lawmakers of a constitutional reform proposal that could have considered the role of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
“We came here solely because of our anger,” said one of the protest leaders, Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul.
Police barricaded themselves inside and did not intervene.
In case the police used water cannon, protesters brought inflatable pool ducks to use as shields. They have also become protest mascots.
The protesters had vandalised public property and thrown projectiles that could have hurt officers and as a result charges would be brought against them, said police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen.
Protests since July have been largely peaceful.
But Bangkok’s Erawan Medical Centre said at least 55 people were hurt on Tuesday, with 32 suffering from tear gas and six with gunshot wounds. Protesters also scuffled with royalist counter-protesters.
Police said a royalist had been charged with possession of a weapon and ammunition after the protest, but did not accuse him of opening fire.
Royalists say they believe that calls for reforming the monarchy are a way to abolish it. Protesters deny that.
