Protesters in Thailand used large inflatable ducks to protect themselves from the police

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On Tuesday, protesters who have been protesting against the government and the monarchy in Thailand for months found a new way to protect themselves from police fire hydrants: large inflatable ducks, the kind used on the beach or in the pool. Initially the intention of the protesters was to float the inflatable ducks in a river that flows behind the Thai Parliament, where reforms to the constitution were being discussed. However, the police tried to clear them with fire hydrants and tear gas, and then the ducks were used as a shield. At least 41 people were injured in the clashes.

Protests for democracy in Thailand have been going on for months. They started in January, when a Thai court decided to outlaw the Party of the New Future (Phak Anakhot Mai), a very popular opposition movement among young people, but they have expanded and have not declined in intensity, except for the most recent period. hard of the covid-19 pandemic this spring.

The protesters are calling for the dissolution of the government led by General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, in power since the 2014 coup, that violence against activists be stopped and the Constitution, issued by the military government, be rewritten. They also demand a reform of the monarchy, which in Thailand enjoys enormous privileges.