The pushback continues, with protesters taking “to the streets of Bangkok on Sunday to voice their disapproval and anger over efforts to curb the campaign for royal reforms…”. As Deutsche Welle put it: “On their way, they marched to the German embassy in an attempt to send a signal to Thai King … Vajiralongkorn, also called King Rama X, who frequently travels to Germany on lavish trips.”
It explains that “hundreds of people took to the streets of Bangkok’s main shopping district to criticize the [Constitutional Court] ruling…”.
Protesters occupied Pathumwan intersection rejecting the Constitutional Court’s absurdity and demanding reform of the monarchy.
At the rally, Thatchapong Kaedam told fellow protesters: “We are not overthrowing this country. The reform is to make it better…”. DW reported that may of those rallying had signs asserting “reform does not equal overthrow…”. Others “tossed effigies of Constitutional Court judges off a bridge, later burning them…”.
As the protesters “began moving toward the German embassy in the Thai capital. Police tried to stop protesters from nearing the embassy, with authorities firing rubber bullets…. Three people were injured, and at least one protester sustained significant wounds and was brought to a local hospital…”. Even so, three representatives from the rally “were allowed into the embassy premises to hand in the [anti-absolutism] statement.”
VOA reported that a statement made when the demonstrators reached the German Embassy insisted: “The king’s increased powers in recent years are pulling Thailand away from democracy and back to absolute monarchy…. This is a fight to insist that this country must be ruled by a system in which everyone is equal.”
This may be just the start of renewed confrontations.
Update 1: Several outlets, including The Nation, report 2-3 injuries, including: “At 5.10pm, a gunshot sound was heard. One male protestor was reportedly shot at the chest with a rubber bullet. He was rushed to the hospital by medic staff.” There was some debate about the bullet – rubber or lead.
Update 2: Prachatai has a detailed report on Sunday’s rally that deserves attention. One element of it that caught PPT’s attention related to shootings:
As the march moved through the Chaloem Phao Intersection, it was reported that a protester was shot in the chest while standing near the Institute of Forensic Medicine on Henri Dunant Road. The protester was reported to be around 20 years old and was taken to Chulalongkorn Hospital.
It is unclear who shot the protester and which type of bullet had been fired. However, according to a member of the We Volunteer protest guard group, gunfire was seen coming from inside the police headquarters, and a protester retrieved a casing of what seems to be a 12 gauge shotgun bullet.
Meanwhile, former Pheu Thai MP Dr Tossaporn Serirak said that he saw a crowd control officer raising his gun, after which there were several loud bangs and the protesters dropped to the ground. Hearing a shout that someone has been shot, he went to the scene and found that 2 protesters were shot. He said that the protester who was shot in the chest could not breathe as the bullet had penetrated his lung, and that both were taken to the Chulalongkorn Hospital and are in stable condition.
iLaw reported that a total of 3 people were shot at close range, and at least 2 were injured. One person was shot in the chest and another in the shoulder….