Prayuth DEFENDS firing Rubber Bullets at Protesters
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Monday defended the Royal Thai Police’s use of excessive force on anti-government protesters. He insisted the police’s crowd-control measures were in compliance with international standards.
Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) riot police had used tear gas and water cannons to move protesters from approaching the prime minister’s residence in the barracks.
During the clash, rubber bullets were used and on Monday MPB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Phukphong Phongpetra admitted that the rubber buellets had only been used in order to contain the violence before the clashes spiralled out of control.
Defending the police actions Gen Prayut said had said that the protesters had already advanced into police and restricted areas and some officers had been assulted, so police needed to respond to the situation.
“I insist the crowd-control measures were in accordance with international standards and police did not violate the protesters’ rights,” Gen Prayut said.
The prime minister took to task some media outlets for what he claimed were unbalanced reports about the clashes between the protesters and the police, saying they only carried reports about police’s use of force against the protesters.
Gen Prayut also expressed sympathy for police who were told to exercise restraint in the face of violence and ended up injured.
