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Thailand
This Week in AsiaPolitics

Apec summit: rubber bullets and tear gas fired as Thai police, anti-Prayuth protesters clash in Bangkok

  • Around 300 protesters had gathered near Bangkok’s Democracy Monument in a protest against Thailand’s controversial ‘BCG’ growth policy
  • A police spokesman said officers had to use ‘self defence’ after protesters damaged vehicles and ‘harmed’ officers

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A monk raises his hands as police move to disperse protesters trying to march to the Apec summit venue on November 18 in Bangkok. Photo: AP
Aidan Jonesin Bangkok
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas during rolling clashes on Friday with pro-democracy protesters rallying against Thailand’s hosting of the Apec summit, in a reminder of the deep political troubles which stalk the premiership of Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Around 300 protesters, an amalgam of young pro-democracy activists and rural farmers, had gathered since early morning near Bangkok’s Democracy Monument in a protest against a Thai government flagship policy called the “BCG” (Bio Circular Green) which is up for endorsement at Apec.

Demonstrators drew graffiti and held banners decrying Apec, ex-army chief Prayuth and even Xi Jinping – whose country’s giant economy is increasingly dominant in Thailand.
In a cloud of pink smoke, police remove protesters trying to march to the Apec summit venue. Photo: AP
In a cloud of pink smoke, police remove protesters trying to march to the Apec summit venue. Photo: AP

Several protesters were hit by rubber bullets as lines of riot police with shields advanced after a hard core group of demonstrators threw water bottles, sticks and coloured smoke bombs into the police ranks.

The protest was near the Grand Palace where later on Friday, Thai King Maha Vajiralonkorn is due to grant a royal audience to some of the leaders assembled in Bangkok, who include China’s Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron of France and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.

“We are going to make sure they hear our voices so they know they are not welcome here while the government comes from a coup,” one young protester said, giving his name as Thip.

“Officers had to use force for self-defence. Ten protesters were arrested,” said police spokesman Major-General Anchayon Kraithong on Friday. “Protesters broke the law, created chaos, damaged police vehicles and harmed officers.”

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