BANGKOK - Some 10,000 Thai protesters gathered Thursday in defiance of a sweeping crackdown after authorities moved to crush months of pro-democracy demonstrations by imposing emergency powers and rounding up leading activists.
Thousands sat on plastic sheets on the road snacking on street food while scores more watched from overhead walkways. Many said they would return Friday evening. "All of these people who assembled today - their actions are against the law," deputy police spokesperson Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen told AFP.Three top activists were among nearly two dozen arrested earlier Thursday, including Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak and Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul, whose own detention was live-streamed on Facebook.
"These are orders banning gatherings of five or more people... and banning distributing of news through electronic media that can affect national security," the spokesman said.