Thai police disperse protesters with tear gas
Thai police on December 26 fired tear gas to disperse protesters trying to disrupt electoral process at a Bangkok stadium.
Thursday, December 26, 2013 16:38
Hundreds of demonstrators tried to force their way into a compound in Dindaeng area where representatives of about 30 political parties were gathering to register for February 2 elections.
Outside the stadium, rubber bullets were used in addition to tear gas to drive away the crowd. As many as 1,000 officials were deployed to keep things under control.
In the presence of Election Commission chief Supachai Somcharoen, 30 out of the 34 political parties to completed the drawing of election codes.
Earlier, the opposition Democrat Party boycotted the election after calling in vain for postponement until the country has undergone "reform."
Thai caretaker Yingluck Shinawatra on December 25 proposed a national reform council made up of 499 representatives from various sectors to recommend constitutional amendments and economic and legal reforms, as well as anti-corruption measures.
The protesters, however, quickly rejected the idea, urging her to step down.
The unrest in Thailand has left five people dead and hundreds of other wounded while tenses see no sign of calming down.-VNA
COVID-19 pandemic worsens in Philippines, Indonesia
The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) on January 18 reported 2,163 new daily (COVID-19) cases, the highest in more than two months in this Southeast Asian country.