Protest ends at night after police release demonstrators, Ratsadon plans ‘no-confidence’ debate

 

 

The protest started on Bangkok’s Pathumwan Skywalk at 4pm in a demonstration dubbed “hitting pots to banish dictators”.

The Pathumwan protesters also handed out stickers to passers-by reading “we do not want Article 112”, referring to the lese majeste law.

Police have charged dozens of people with lese majeste over their participation in pro-democracy protests in the past few months.

Read More: Thai protesters bang pots to ‘banish dictators’

At 7.30pm, protesters marched to Pathumwan Police Station, which is about 2 kilometres from the Skywalk, urging officers to release the arrested members.

At 8.45pm, police released the 12 after negotiations with Methee Amornwutkul, a representative of the Ratsadon’s guard unit.

At 9pm, one of Ratsadon’s leaders, Panasaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, announced the group would hold a no-confidence debate against the government outside Parliament from February 16 to 19, and details would be revealed later.

Wednesday’s protest then came to an end.

A news source reported that while the arrested protesters were being released, three explosive sounds were heard in Soi Chula 5 behind the police station, causing the demonstrators to back away from the area. Witnesses reportedly said the explosions sounded like ping pong bombs. There was no report of any injuries.