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When Thai police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a rally in Bangkok, at least three protesters were injured. The number of COVID cases at the time was a record high.
When the Thai police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a rally in Bangkok, three protesters were injured because of the surge in coronavirus cases, and people were irritated by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s handling of the epidemic Feel angry.
On the third day of the week, protesters and the police clashed on Friday, while the country is struggling to deal with the worst virus outbreak to date, setting a new high of 23,418 infections per day.
The number of cases on Saturday was slightly lower at over 22,000 and 217 new deaths, bringing the country’s total number of cases since the pandemic to over 900,000 and deaths to over 7,300.
On Saturday, the “Bangkok Post” reported that the widow of former Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhawan, Tempuying Boone Choonhawan, died of COVID-19 at the age of 101.
The slow rollout of Thailand’s vaccination program and the economic pain caused by restrictions are putting political pressure on the prime minister.
Protesters gathered at a major intersection near the Victory Monument in Bangkok, ignoring the ban on public gatherings and setting fire to rotten fruit bags to symbolize the economic difficulties of farmers.
“Because of government failure, these fruits cannot be sold [to manage the virus and the economy],” a female protester told hundreds of people.
The demonstrators were holding a large banner that read “Prayut must go out immediately” and tried to march in the Prayut residence in the military camp.
The police used barbed wire and rows of containers to block their way, while the police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons.
National Police Deputy Spokesperson Kissana Phathanacharoen said the protesters used table tennis bombs, slingshots, bricks and firecrackers to target the police.
He said that fourteen motorcycles were impounded.
Injury report
Protesters marched to PM Prayut residence and demanded his resignation #Coronavirus disease Poor management. #Thailand #WhatsHappeningInThailand #mob August 13 #NS pic.twitter.com/uOhe84RLCn
— Pravit Rojanaphruk (@PravitR) August 13, 2021
An emergency medical center said at least three protesters were injured, including youth activist Thanat “Nat” Thanakitamnuay.
During the protests in the same area on Tuesday and Wednesday, the police used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets, and some demonstrators threw firecrackers at the police.
Bangkok police are facing severe charges, insisting that their actions are in compliance with the law and urging people not to endanger public health and safety.
Metropolitan Police Chief Phukphong Phongpetra told reporters on Friday: “There is clear evidence that some people in the protest group have contracted COVID-19.”
According to local media reports, a young protester who blew his hand off while throwing fireworks at a rally on Wednesday tested positive for the coronavirus.
Last year, Thailand started a youth-led democratic protest movement that attracted tens of thousands of people to a rally at its peak, demanding the resignation of the former army commander-in-chief Prayut who came to power in the 2014 coup.
But earlier this year, following the surge in COVID-19 cases and the detention of its leaders, the movement lost momentum.
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