<p>The Foreign Correspondents&#39; Club of Thailand (FCCT) issued a statement following the crackdown on the protest at the parliament compound on 17 November urging journalists to take precautions when covering protests and for the authorities to legalise the use of body armour for journalists and paramedics working in conflict areas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prachatai spoke to some of the protesters at Ratchaprasong on 18 November, most of whom said they would like to see the country changing for the better.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/thailand" target="_blank">Thai</a>&nbsp;police unnecessarily used water cannons and teargas against peaceful democracy demonstrators outside the parliament in Bangkok on November 17, 2020, in violation of international human rights standards, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/11/19/thailand-police-violence-against-democracy-demonstrators">Human Rights Watch</a> said yesterday (19 November).</p>

<p>Thousands of pro-democracy protesters gathered at the Ratchaprasong intersection yesterday evening (18 November) before marching to the nearby national police headquarters to demand justice following the police crackdown on the protest at the parliament compound on Tuesday (17 November).</p>

<p>Protesters gathering on the streets in front of the parliament building to demand constitutional amendments on 17 November were met with blockades and riot police, as well as water cannon and tear gas.</p>

<p>A police representative admitted on Monday (9 November) that tear gas was used during the <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8849">police crackdown on the 16 October protest</a> at the Pathumwan intersection.</p>

<p>With the early morning declaration of a state of emergency on October 15 and the crackdown on the pro-democracy group on October 16 in the name of national security, Thailand is undergoing a rough path of democratic transitioning.</p>

<p>The Thai police&#39;s use of water cannons to disperse protesters on&nbsp;16 October was unwarranted and excessive, says Amnesty International, who calls on the Thai authorities to release peaceful protesters and lift restriction on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 16 October police crackdown has not deterred the people&rsquo;s will to express their anti-dictatorship ideas and criticisms of the monarchy. They turned from single protests to mobile leaderless ones.</p>

<p>Police in full riot gear have used water cannon to disperse thousands of protesters gathered at the Pathumwan intersection, defying the ban on mass gatherings imposed during the severe state of emergency.</p>