Police fire tear gas at protesters at Parliament

Thai police fired tear gas at anti-government protesters who block the Parliament on Pichai road on Tuesday morning, seriously injuring at least three.

The police raid at 6.20am came to pave the way for members of Parliament who are scheduled to attend Somchai Wongsawat government's policy address there.

Thousands of protesters blocked the Parliament on Monday night to block access by lawmakers to the Parliament.

Thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) marched to parliament late Monday , using trucks to try to seal off the building ahead of an address by the new cabinet.

Television footage showed police fired the tear gas to the protesters who hid behind barriers on a road near the Parliament compound.

Sounds of gunfire were also heard but senior police officials said that only tear gas was being used against the crowd.

Channel 3 television station reported that at least three protesters were seriously injured with one of them lost his leg.

The protests are led by the People's Alliance for Democracy who said Somchai and his government are merely a proxy for ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006.

Police fired 40 to 50 canisters of tear gas against more than 4,000 of the demonstrators who conducted the sit in protest on Uthong Nai road.

Channel 3 reported Tuesday morning that some 20 protesters were being treated at the Vachira Hospital following police's use of tear gases to disperse their protest at Parliament.

Television footage showed many protesters dug and covered their faces with clothes to protect themselves from the tear gas. They retreated to an area nearby and were seen using water to wash out the tear gas.

They however vowed to continue the blockage.

PAD's leaders said on stage that police fire rubber bullets at the protesters also, the charges, police flatly denied.

 

Some 2,000 protesters remain on Uthong Road

Following the use of tear gases to disperse protesters, some 2,000 demonstrators remained protesting on the Uthong Road at 7:28 am Tuesday.

Police secure one entrance to the Parliament on the Phichai Road and some policemen were stationed inside the Parliament compound.

The Nation