Thai activists and politician show support for protester blinded by rubber bullet

Thai activists and a politician showed their support for a protester blinded in one eye by a rubber bullet last week. This was after police fired rubber bullets at protesters at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre on November 18.

The man blinded was Phayu Daodin, a graduate of Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Law. He has lost sight in his right eye, and doctors have warned that the left eye retina could be impacted in future.

On Sunday, human rights lawyer Anon Nampha invited the public to cover their right eye in a symbolic gesture of solidarity with Phayu. Anon said…

“I would like to send strength to Phayu Dao Din to go through this terrible time with full of willpower. We will do everything we can to bring the wrong people to punishment.

“I would like to invite all friends to take a photo with one eye closed and post it on your friends’ FB with a message to encourage Phayu Dao Din, who was shot in the eye by the police on November 18.”

Phayu’s case has even drawn the attention of some politicians. Move Forward Party’s MP candidate for Bangkok, Tisana Choonhavan, wrote in a Facebook post…

“Aiming at the head violates the United Nations rules on the use of non-lethal weapons to disperse unarmed civilian protestors because it may cause the skull to crack and lead to intracerebral hemorrhage, blindness, death or disability as happened to Phayu.”

Last week, police spokesman Major General Achayon Khraithong defended the police’s use of rubber bullets and tear gas, claiming that they acted in self-defence after protesters threw rocks and sprayed spray paint at police.

Officers from Samran Rat Police Station said that 10 offenders were arrested for the vague crime of “not following rules at a protest set by the police,” which is punishable by no more than one year in prison or a 20,000 baht fine.

At least two people were wounded by rubber bullets and a photographer for Reuters was injured in the clash.

Protesters called for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the end of the APEC 2022 Summit due to host PM Prayut being an illegitimate leader.