Police Detain 12 Protesters During Rama 4 Demonstration
Police detained twelve protesters after a clash at Bangkok's Rama 4 intersection while demonstrators attempted to hang banners near the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The protesters, part of the People’s Network Against World Bank-IMF, said they wanted to voice concerns about loan conditions affecting national policy. Traffic was heavily disrupted as roads around the convention center remained closed.
Early that morning, protesters marched from the Customs House Intersection toward the convention center, but were stopped by police barricades at the Rama 4 intersection. Police warned that the demonstration blocked traffic and might breach the Public Assembly Act. When activists attempted to attach banners to a footbridge, a scuffle erupted and twelve protesters were taken into custody on the bridge before being released later. The demonstrators then returned to the intersection to wait for their negotiation team to resume talks with authorities. Traffic on Rama 4 remained heavily congested due to road closures around the convention center. Supaporn Mali loi, a network representative, said the protest aimed to convey public concern over loan conditions imposed by the World Bank and IMF, which she argued shape national policy without citizen input. She cited the Pak Mun Dam case as an example where affected communities received inadequate compensation, and warned that the current loan discussions favor energy conglomerates while undermining environmental standards and community rights. The network vowed to remain at the site until 6:00 p.m. on October 16, 2026, promising to oppose any agreement that harms livelihoods or rights.
