Anti-coup protesters plan a sporadic, protracted rally until there is a general election, despite repeated warnings of tough legal action against them from the National Council for Peace and Order.
Anti-coup protesters hold up three fingers as a protest symbol during their rally outside Terminal 21 shopping centre yesterday. WEERAWONG WONGPREEDEE
A heavy military and police presence was witnessed at eight locations in Bangkok and in other provinces where the protesters had planned a major gathering yesterday. The military appeared to have the situation under control.
Four women were captured by police in connection with the protests.
Protests were staged at the Ratchaprasong intersection, King Taksin Monument, Victory Monument, Democracy Monument, Laksi Monument roundabout, a spot near the Central Plaza Bangna, and an area near Seacon Square.
Some protesters turned up at the Democracy and Laksi monuments. No arrest was made, except for a middle-aged woman seen near a Ratchaprasong intersection wearing a mask with the word "People". After taking off the mask, she walked towards the Pathunam intersection where she was nabbed by police.
Deputy police chief Pol Gen Somyos Phumpanmuang said troops and police were scaled back as the Ratchaprasong area was relatively peaceful.
Nearby skytrain stations at Phloen Chit, Chit Lom and Ratchadamri were closed earlier in the day but re-opened later.
No protesters were seen at six other venues where they earlier said they would meet by their appointed time of 11am.
However, about 40 people, mostly women, picketed at the Lan Pho ground inside Thammasat University's Tha Pra Chan campus and held up messages demanding freedom of speech.
In Samut Prakan, there was a protest no-show at the Theparak intersection in Samut Prakan.
In Chiang Mai, about 150 soldiers and security volunteers stood guard at the provincial hall. Other security personnel were dispatched to McDonald's outlets, only to find no protester there.
An outlet of the fast food chain at Amarin Plaza in Bangkok, where the anti-coup protesters first gathered, said it would not allow anyone to make political statements on its premises.
In downtown Chiang Mai, some protesters were spotted at the Meya shopping centre. They held up anti-coup placards and quickly disappeared.
Similar placards were also seen in some shopping streets, mostly in tourist areas in the province.
In Lamphun, more than 10 protesters met at the Chamma Devi statue in heart of the province. They wore white masks and coloured shirts. They dispersed when about 30 soldiers arrived.
In Bangkok, protesters apparently switched their venue to the Terminal 21 shopping mall. About 200 of them stood in pockets, some with gagging tape on their lips.
Others held up three fingers to signify freedom, liberty and peace — a gesture borrowed from scenes in The Hunger Games film.
More than 200 soldiers and police asked the protesters to disband. They refused and advanced towards the soldiers while booing them.
The security force retreated and took up position outside the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit hotel. Acting police chief Watcharapol Prasarnratchakij was on hand to direct the force.
At the same time, entrances and exits of the nearby skytrain were closed. The anti-riot police squad also moved in.
A protester who declined to be named said fellow protesters wanted to show their dissent against the coup. They vowed to continue their rally until a general election is held.
The NCPO chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has released a tentative timeframe for the election, which is expected to be more than a year from now, depending on how national reform proceeds.
The protester said future rallies will take place in areas with many foreign tourists and that protesters have no fear of martial law.
Messages have circulated in Facebook indicating protesters may hold a protest at Suvarnabhumi airport next Saturday.
At the Terminal 21 gathering yesterday, three women were taken away by plainclothes policemen. One of them was identified as Pairin Puangsiri.
Fellow protesters tried in vain to pull her back from the police's hold. The women were believed to have been taken to Lumpini police station.
NCPO spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree said the security authorities must maintain order during rallies.
They will negotiate with the protesters first. If that fails, the protesters will be arrested for defying the NCPO's orders.
He said measures to contain the protest are within the law and carried out with transparency.
Plain-clothes police arrest a protester near Terminal 21 shopping centre and put her in a car as they head to a local police station yesterday. THITI WANNAMONTHA