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Published on July 24, 2007

Skirmishes broke out as demonstrators attempted to reach the residence of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda after marching from Sanam Luang at noon.

An alliance march last month with the same objective was halted by police near the councillor's residence. "We understood police would send representatives to talk with us to control the situation. They did not," he said.

He said there had been no suggestion of violence until 9pm, when about a thousand police commandos attempted to take protest leaders into custody.

The commandos' action caused tempers to fray, he said. Some demonstrators became angry and broke through police barricades.

The situation got out of control when police used tear-gas to disperse protesters, Weng said.

Weng said protest leaders were unable to control some marchers and had asked police to arrest those that damaged property.

The melee broke up and headed back to Sanam Luang after leaders learned the Army had sent soldiers and would use weapons to disperse the crowd.

"As soon as we discovered the military might use guns we thought it was not safe, so we went back to Sanam Luang," he said.

The DAAD yesterday held a press briefing to call for international human rights organisations to condemn and take action against the police's suppression of the anti-coup protest.

Natthawut Saikua, another anti-coup leader, said the DAAD was gathering evidence to show that police assaulted protesters and would file a complaint on Tuesday.

Sucheera Pinijparakarn,

Wattana Khamchoo

The Nation