Three anti-establishment Ratsadon followers are being held in police custody for alleged involvement in a violent protest in front of the Myanmar Embassy on Sathorn Road in Bangkok on Monday.
The three, who are also members of the “WeVo” guard, have been charged with violating the Emergency Decree, the Communicable Disease Control Act, illegal assembly of more than ten people, assault and causing unrest.
Over 100 Ratsadon followers, mostly WeVo guards, joined about 100 Myanmar people living in Thailand in a protest in front of the embassy on Monday afternoon, to condemn the coup in Myanmar and to demand the unconditional release of Aung Sa Suu Kyi, leader of the National League of Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar, and others who have been detained by the junta.
Most Myanmar protesters dispersed after they were told by anti-riot police to do so, leaving behind the Ratsadon protesters, who refused to leave and fought a running battle with the police, hurling traffic cones, iron barricades, stones and smoke bombs at them.
Thirteen police were slightly injured and two others suffered more serious injuries and were admitted to the Police General Hospital.
The three detained Ratsadon followers, two of them identified as Pannapat Chanthanangkul and Kiatisak Panrenoo, were later taken to the Bangkok South Criminal Court to seek a warrant for their detention.
Meanwhile, Pol Maj-Gen Piya Tavichai, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said today that police are in the process of collecting evidence to support the arrests of more Thai protesters, including WeVo guard leader Piyarat “Toto” Chongthep.
He said that previous protests by the Ratsadon group had not been peaceful and several protesters were armed, including some at the protest yesterday in front of the Myanmar Embassy.
