We knew this would happen. Police using water cannons to ‘dampen’ protesters defying the water-splashing ban. How ironic. The protesters used the Songkran festival to make a point about their ongoing battle demanding greater democracy in Thailand.
That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday, when Police deployed two water cannons on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road in response to pro-democracy groups defying the government’s ban on Songkran water splashing behaviour by having a big ol’ water fight.
They splashed buckets of water. They squirted vibrant coloured squirt guns. They laughed and splashed around Democracy Monument in a ‘Songkran-style’ peaceful (but wet) protest. Members from Talufh, Ratsadon, We Volunteer the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration pro-democracy groups all joined in on the irreverent take on Songkran.
The demonstrators-turned-revellers also poured water on the Democracy Monument to symbolically “wash the filth away”. When police set up barricades around the monument, the demonstrators carried a replicated plaque commemorating the 1932 Thai Revolution around the barricaded monument.
But it was only a matter of time before police brought out the water cannons to break up the protest. The irony of Thai police breaking up a water festival protest at democracy monument with water cannons will certainly feature on Thailand, and the world’s, social media.
SOURCE: ThaiPBS
Join the conversation and have your say on Thailand news published on The Thaiger.
Thaiger Talk is our new Thaiger Community where you can join the discussion on everything happening in Thailand right now.
Please note that articles are not posted to the forum instantly and can take up to 20 min before being visible. Click for more information and the Thaiger Talk Guidelines.
Recent comments: