RTP gets set for pro-democracy rally, to deploy more female officers
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) is preparing for a pro-democracy rally at Democracy Monument and in front of the Education Ministry on November 14, expecting most of the participants to be students, RTP spokesman Pol Maj-General Yingyos Thepjamnong said on Wednesday.
“The Metropolitan Police Bureau was ordered to deploy more female crowd-control officers to monitor the situation and prevent any violence that might occur,” he said. “We understand that students have the right to express their political views but they also need to respect the laws.”
Yingyos said the water that crowd-control police sprayed on protesters at Sanam Luang on November 8 had no chemical mixture, and that the police had warned the rallyists not to make the illegal move of approaching the Grand Palace prior to spraying the water.
“We also now have information on the protester who threw a smoke bomb in Sanam Luang on November 8 and will soon pursue legal action,” he said.
Yingyos said that from October 13 until now, 89 protesters have been arrested and charged with various offences, mostly for sedition under Section 116 of the Criminal Code.
“After being notified of the charges, all offenders have been released while police are gathering evidence to submit to prosecutors,” he added.