Thai police clash with protesters

On December 26, protesters trying to disrupt preparations for a general election in Thailand clashed with police, causing the country's political crisis to once again turn violent.

Clashes broke out on the morning of December 26 in Bangkok when protesters tried to enter a stadium where candidates were registering for the general election taking place next February. Photo: AP

Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters as they tried to enter a sports stadium where candidates were registering for the upcoming general election, AP news agency reported.

AP reporters at the scene also said protesters used bricks and slingshots to attack security forces. However, the candidate registration process continued normally inside the stadium.

Protesters are demanding that caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra resign and boycott the general election scheduled for February 2, as she is almost certain to win.

Protests broke out more than a month ago when the Thai Prime Minister passed the Amnesty Bill that would pave the way for former Prime Minister Thaksin, who is living in exile abroad, to return to the country.

In a move to calm the rising wave of protests, on December 25, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra proposed establishing a national reform council.

Ms Yingluck said the council, set up on the orders of the Prime Minister, will consist of 499 members who will be selected from 2,000 representatives of people from all walks of life across the country.

However, with what happened on the morning of December 26, it seems that the situation in Thailand will not improve in the coming days.

According to VOV