Thai cops opened the whoop-ass on peaceful protesters because COVID: health minister

A day after police violently suppressed a protest outside the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok, a top official said today it was done for their own health.

Riot police had to move in and forcefully disperse the peaceful, anti-coup rally on lower Sathon Road last night because they were concerned about people catching COVID-19, said Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, adding that they shouldn’t have been protesting in the first place.

“It’s a problem in their home, why do we have to make a fuss about it here?” Anutin said.

Top metro cop Lt. Col. Pakkapong Pongpetra today said protesters violated disease control measures and the emergency decree by rallying to demand Myanmar’s military stand down after seizing power – a sensitive topic to Thailand’s military-dominated government. Pakkapong said the cops had no choice but to break up the rally after…