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Jan 5, 2010
Thailand stocks riot gear
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The money will be spent on gear including hundreds of thousands of rubber bullets as well as tear gas canisters, net launchers and body armour. -- PHOTO: AFP
BANGKOK- THAILAND'S cabinet on Tuesday approved a US$7.5 million (S$10.5 million) budget for the army to buy new riot equipment, in anticipation of fresh anti-government protests in the turbulent kingdom. The money will be spent on gear including hundreds of thousands of rubber bullets as well as tear gas canisters, net launchers and body armour, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said. Thailand has been rocked by political turmoil since then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a coup in 2006 and pro-Thaksin 'Red Shirts' are planning new protests in coming weeks. 'The cabinet approved this budget in order to make security officials better prepared and better equipped,' Abhisit told reporters after the first weekly cabinet meeting of the year. A classified army document obtained by AFP said the equipment was necessary because the army predicted more protests in Bangkok and also in Thaksin's rural heartland in northeastern Thailand. 'The situation in 2010 is that there are likely to be more protests from political groups and other pressure groups,' the document said. The army would buy 3,750 shields, 3,750 batons, 5,200 tear gas grenades and 260 launchers, 5,200 hand-held tear gas canisters, 487,500 rubber bullets and 130 net launchers, it added. -- AFP
Home > Breaking News > SE Asia > Story
Jan 5, 2010
Thailand stocks riot gear
<!-- end left side bar -->
The money will be spent on gear including hundreds of thousands of rubber bullets as well as tear gas canisters, net launchers and body armour. -- PHOTO: AFP
BANGKOK- THAILAND'S cabinet on Tuesday approved a US$7.5 million (S$10.5 million) budget for the army to buy new riot equipment, in anticipation of fresh anti-government protests in the turbulent kingdom. The money will be spent on gear including hundreds of thousands of rubber bullets as well as tear gas canisters, net launchers and body armour, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said. Thailand has been rocked by political turmoil since then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a coup in 2006 and pro-Thaksin 'Red Shirts' are planning new protests in coming weeks. 'The cabinet approved this budget in order to make security officials better prepared and better equipped,' Abhisit told reporters after the first weekly cabinet meeting of the year. A classified army document obtained by AFP said the equipment was necessary because the army predicted more protests in Bangkok and also in Thaksin's rural heartland in northeastern Thailand. 'The situation in 2010 is that there are likely to be more protests from political groups and other pressure groups,' the document said. The army would buy 3,750 shields, 3,750 batons, 5,200 tear gas grenades and 260 launchers, 5,200 hand-held tear gas canisters, 487,500 rubber bullets and 130 net launchers, it added. -- AFP
