Thai police protest treatment by demonstrators

BANGKOK — Thailand’s powerful army yesterday sought to ease fears it might step in to resolve the country’s festering political crisis as the police staged a protest to show their frustration after weeks of dealing with aggressive and often violent anti-government demonstrators.

About 500 police with family and friends gathered in a public square near the main protest camp in Bangkok, four days after a policeman was shot dead in a pitched battle with demonstrators who were trying to stop candidates from registering for the February elections. A protester was also killed while scores were wounded in the clashes on Thursday when an unidentified gunman opened fire.

The demonstrators are determined to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who they accuse of being a puppet of her self-exiled brother and former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra. They are demanding Ms Yingluck’s government make way for an appointed council to institute political reforms to eradicate corruption before any polls.

At least eight people have been killed in sporadic violence since the demonstrations began about two months ago. At the government’s orders, the police have responded with relative restraint despite severe provocation.

Police Colonel Niwat Puenguthaisri, who led the police’s protest, said the police were worried because the orders to show restraint have resulted in the police several times being trapped by demonstrators and forced to bargain for their release.

“We come here today to say that we have remained patient to the utmost. But we want to say that we have dignity and we want to protect that, too,” said Mr Niwat.

Aside from the police protest, yesterday was a rare day of calm in Bangkok, though protesters continued to block candidate registrations in about half-a-dozen southern provinces, which are strongholds of the opposition Democrat Party. If there is a failure of elections in a number of constituencies, it may not be possible to get enough lawmakers to legally open Parliament.

Until last week, the military had sought to remain aloof from the conflict, which represents years of rivalry between Bangkok’s middle class and royalist establishment and the mostly poor, rural supporters of Ms Yingluck and Mr Thaksin in the populous north and north-east.

The head of the military added to the growing sense of unease on Thursday when he refused to rule out a coup after the clashes. Thai army chief General Prayuth Chan-Ocha had said that “the door was neither open nor closed” on a coup, and social media across Thailand has buzzed with rumours of a coup ever since.

But Army spokesman Winthai Suwaree sought to play down those fears, telling reporters yesterday that the rumours were causing “confusion and speculation”.

“The army would like to insist there are no secret meetings or any operations by the military as speculated,” Mr Winthai said.

Ms Yingluck is looking increasingly isolated. More chaos on the streets could invite intervention by the military, while the judiciary could also step in if the deadlock persists.

Thailand’s army has staged or attempted 18 coups in 81 years of democracy, including the removal of Mr Thaksin in 2006. Agencies