Thai protesters return to streets reiterating demands for political change

BANGKOK: Thousands of protesters returned to the streets in Bangkok yesterday repeating their demands for political change.

Anti-government protesters gathered at Democracy Monument at Ratchadamnoen Avenue in Bangkok demanding for the prime minister to step down, the dissolution of Parliament, rewriting of the Constitution, and to bring reform to the monarchy.

The protesters attempted to march to the Bureau of the Royal Household at the Grand Palace to deliver a message to King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Protesters were blocked by a bus barricade and barbed wire at Sanam Luang, the Royal Field, near the Grand Palace.

To disperse the crowd as they tried to move near the Grand Palace, the police fired water cannons for the second time in months of protests in the kingdom.

Earlier, the police warned protesters to stay at least 150 metres away from the palace under the Public Assembly Act.

The protest ended at 8.55 pm (local time) when a protest representative read out a letter to King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Meanwhile, Erawan Medical Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported that one police officer and two protesters were slightly injured when the water cannon was fired.

Since mid-July, anti-government protesters have been rallying in Bangkok and other cities reiterating their demands for political change, including for the prime minister to step down, the dissolution of Parliament, rewriting of the Constitution, and to bring reform to the monarchy.

-- BERNAMA