Fury after Bangkok cops fire rubber rounds at marchers, injuring 16

Top officials this morning were defending the chaos that unfolded in Bangkok yesterday after metro police fired rubber bullets and used other aggressive tactics to suppress a peaceful march. Sixteen protesters were injured, and one officer died from a sudden heart attack. 

Metro police chief Pakkapong Pongpetra shrugged off criticism of the use of force, condemned by rights advocates and the twittersphere, against pro-democracy protesters marching Sunday from the Victory Monument to Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha’s residence inside the 1st Infantry Regiment base on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.

“I insist that police officers are using permitted gear for necessary reasons. As you can see, there was violence and people not obeying police orders,” Lt. Ge. Pakkapong said.

Asked by another reporter about a rubber bullet round found on the ground, Pakkapong replied,…