90 protesters, 10 police injured in clash at Parliament

Written by Writer on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

90 protesters, 10 police injured in clash at Parliament

BANGKOK, (TNA) - The capital’s Narenthorn Emergency Medical Service centre reported 93 demonstrators were injured when the police fired tear gas canisters to disperse a crowd of several thousand protesters who had gathered at Parliament on Tuesday morning.

The injured are being treated in seven hospitals, with most victims experiencing wounds from the exploded teargas canisters.

About ten police personnel were wounded in the incident. One was pierced by the pointed-tip of a flag pole in his stomach, and underwent emergency surgery at a military hospital. He is now in stable condition but is in intensive care.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chaiyot Kunanuson, an expert for preventive medicine, said teargas canisters were usually fired over a wide radius but in the morning clash, police fired tear gas directly to anti-government protestors.

Dr. Chaiyot said tear gas containers by themselves could not tear off arms of legs, in response to earlier reports of a man’s leg being blown off in the incident.

However, ruptured tear gas canisters can cause injury when an explosion occurs at close range. Moreover, direct and excessive inhalation of tear gas can cause serious lung inflammations, which could result in death.

Dr. Chaiyot noted that possible fatal results from exposure to tear gas was not commonly known, so demonstrators were unaware of the danger if they were directly hit by it. Tear gas, he said, should be used in appropriate amount and firing distance.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission president Saneh Jamarik andh other commission members went to Vajira Hospital to visit demonstrators who were wounded in the PAD protest dispersion.

Mr. Saneh said he had watched the incident on television and felt sorry for the victims. In this regard, he wanted to question them to find out the facts for consideration.

He stated further that a committee has been set up to investigate the issue, as the dispersal was a brutal confrontation.

The human rights advocate said the PAD supporters staged the protest without any weapon. (TNA)