Government comes under fire over violent crackdown on protesters

The office of student council of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University said in a statement that it does not support violence by the government against the people, adding no violence should happen in society.
It also said that politics and peace were two things the master, Lord Buddha, focused on, as they are factors to release people from the yoke of social classes, and allow them to live together peacefully.
The council said that the Buddha had resisted the social class system in ancient India through peaceful means. The pro-democracy students and other protesters had followed the same path. However, the government has avoided responding to them in the same way, and instead chosen violence, the council said.
The Children and Youth Council of Thailand, meanwhile, demanded that the government review its crackdown procedure, after seeing what officials had done to the protesters, who were mostly youth and students.
It demanded that the government agencies look after the welfare of children and youths to protect them from violent situations.
Greenpeace Thailand issued a statement that it “condemns the violent crackdown on a peaceful demonstration. People have the right to perform non-violent protests, which are a fundamental human right. Greenpeace calls on the Thai government to stop the violence and unjustified action now”.
The organisation said that “activism is not a crime. We are in solidarity with the people and peaceful protest”.