Saturday night protests in Thailand end peacefully

Saturday's protests in Thailand brought together between 15,000 and 20,000 people in Bangkok and all ended peacefully.

Police were not far from these rallies, but a clear message came from the top to avoid another display of violence like Friday night at the Pathumwan intersection in Bangkok .

See also: Protests in Thailand: Everything you need to know

Police and government officials attempted to thwart protesters' plans early yesterday afternoon by shutting down large parts of the public transport system – the Sukhumvit Line and the Airport Link, and even parts of the MRT.

Later they shut down the entire transportation system.

Their aim was to cut off the means of transport available to the protesters to get to the scene.

Their tactics effectively cut off a popular mode of transportation for all Bangkokians but did not prevent protesters from reaching the protest sites.

Participants did indeed arrive at three other announced protest locations just after 3 p.m.

Without BTS, they still had myriad other ways to get to the gathering places, and they did.

Rally organizers announced that it would end at 8 p.m.

Most of the city's transport routes resumed normal service between 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

The police did not intervene at any of the demonstration sites.

The main rallies took place in Udom Suk, with a march to Bang Na (southeast of the main city center on the banks of the Chao Phraya), Wong Wian Yai (in Thonburi along the BTS line) and Lat Phrao (northeast of the city center).

Other gatherings took place in Sam Yan, Asok and Phaya Thai.

There were also rallies in other provinces, including Chiang Mai and Chon Buri ( Pattaya ), and smaller rallies elsewhere.

During this afternoon, participants played a game of cat and mouse.

The protest leaders, who had perfect control over the operations, as if they had been helped by professionals, completely overwhelmed the police.

At Lat Phrao, one of the largest gatherings, protesters were well prepared for another attack by riot police and distributed safety helmets, goggles, and raincoats.

One may wonder who finances this logistics.

But the crackdown never took place and the protesters dispersed of their own accord around 8:30 p.m.

An international concert of criticism

The Thai government has come under heavy domestic and international criticism after ordering riot police to break up Friday night's rally at the Pathumwan intersection in central Bangkok.

See: Police disperse protesters in Bangkok with high-powered water cannons, more demonstrations planned for today

National Artist Suchart Sawatsri and activist Nuttaa Mahattana, among others, have joined the chorus of voices calling on the Thai prime minister to stop using violence against the student-led protest movement.

Chulalongkorn's economist, Narong Petchprasert, said there are two groups at odds with each other over the role of the monarchy... one wants to maintain the status quo and the other wants reforms... while the third aims to exploit the conflict between them to gain power and wealth, according to the Nation Thailand newspaper.

The Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Student Council office also issued a statement saying it does not support government violence against the people, adding that no violence should occur in society.

Greenpeace Thailand issued a statement in which it "condemns the violent repression of a peaceful protest."

“People have the right to protest non-violently, which is a fundamental human right.

Greenpeace calls on the Thai government to end the violence and unjustified actions now.

On the social media landscape, the Thai prime minister and police's handling of the protests has received little support.

But there is currently censorship of those who criticize the protests and pro-military and pro-monarchy accounts have been closed on Twitter and Facebook.

Social media is trending to call on the Thai Prime Minister to step down and stop carrying out a coup.

For his part, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he did not rule out a general curfew if the protests continued.

He announced a state of emergency at 4 a.m. Thursday morning, prohibiting gatherings of more than five people, with warnings against posting and sharing information online that "could harm national security."

The warnings were aimed at Thai citizens and the media.

Human Rights Watch also sent an open letter to the Thai government condemning the crackdown on students and the use of weapons against peaceful protesters.

The Prime Minister publicly supported his police chief, who said the use of batons and water cannons on Friday night was in accordance with "international law."

But Human Rights Watch disagrees.

According to the 2020 United Nations Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement, "water cannon should only be used in situations of serious public disturbance where there is a high probability of loss of life, serious injury, or widespread destruction of property."

Furthermore, the water cannon should not "aim a jet of water at an individual or group of people at close range due to the risk of causing permanent blindness or secondary injuries if the people are energetically propelled by the water jet."

In Pattaya, Chon Buri, several large "pro-democracy" demonstrations took place in two locations.

Protesters gathered around Bali Hai Pier and then at the Pattaya City police station after being informed by police that they were breaking the law.

In Chiang Mai, a large peaceful rally took place at Chiang Mai University.

The police did not participate in this gathering.

See also:

In Thailand, investors wary of protests and stock markets fall

Foreign investors question the situation in Thailand

Thousands defy emergency decree in Thailand

Source: thethaiger.com