Water‑Cannon Chaos: Bangkok Protesters Face High‑Pressure Swings After a Gunned‑Down Teenager
In a scene straight out of a drama, police in Bangkok fired a water cannon at a crowd outside the national police headquarters on Tuesday, August 17. The move came just a day after a 15‑year‑old protester—whose blow to the neck left him in a coma with a bullet lodged near his brain—was treated in the emergency room.
Demonstrators Demand the PM Walk Out
The crowd was gathered on the third consecutive day to call for Prime Minister Prayut Chan‑o‑cha to resign. The anger is fueled by his handling of the Covid‑19 crisis, which saw a record 239 deaths on that Tuesday. Protesters are chanting “We’re here to be heard, not to be boiled,” as they face tear gas and rubber bullets.
- Activist songpon “Yajai” Sonthirak said, “We’re here peacefully, but we’re hit with tear gas and rubber bullets.”
- “We’re just pointing out that the government’s performance is terrible,” added the activist during the clash.
Police Down‑Bang:
According to Police spokesperson Kissana Phathanacharoen, protesters lobbed “paint, ping‑pong bombs, water bottles—anything that rattles a riot”—right at the police HQ. As a result, the police had to enforce the law with “high water pressure that meets international standards” (or, as the reporters heard, “the truth-telling water cannon”).
The Fever of The Corona Crisis
Thailand is on track to surpass one million cases this week. Protesters are now, or never, in a bind: they want a new leader, but the police are under instruction to appease them with a splash.
In the cramped streets near PM Prayut’s residence, six people were injured in the Monday clash, while a medic said a minor was hit by a bullet. Police confirmed no live ammunition was fired during the protest. In fact, the only bullet that landed in a protester’s blood drain was for a 15‑year‑old who got comatose from a gunshot wound.
What the Bunch of Them Gave
• 15‑Y‑O‑L‑D boy comatose after a bullet in his neck.
• 6 injured on Monday outside PM’s home.
• Water cannons notified: all within international norms.
• Pulled engagement: people get anti‑inflammatory, but trauma remains.
All is calm, or “ calm? ” We’ll watch the next nation‑wide bout that Marty‑Che criticized as a sign of suffering, and keep our eyes open. Whether the water cannons will win yelling or the crowd will prevail, there’s a storytelling hit on her, where life physics used to be the template for human feelings over humans with voices.
