BANGKOK, Oct 14 (TNA) - Thailand's police department is expected to destroy about 2,000 tear gas grenades, imported from China, after Thai authorities determined the design of the deadly grenade used by police in dispersing anti-government protesters last Tuesday have caused one death and been implicated in causing some people losing their limbs, according to a senior Bangkok police officer Tuesday.
Pol. Maj-Gen. Phuwadol Wuttaganok, commander of the Royal Thai Police Ordnance Division, said approximately 2,000 tear gas grenades were recalled from Border Patrol Police and Bangkok Metropolitan Police last Wednesday, one day after the fatal clash, and are now stored at the ordnance division.
Gen. Phuwadol will advice national police chief Pol. Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan to destroy the entire supply of tear gas grenades, he said.
Regarding tear gas grenades purchased from the United States, the Ordnance Division will order police units not to use them because they too have been found to be deadly, he said.
There is a possibility that the Chinese-made tear gas grenades fell near People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters during the clashes, causing several people to lose limbs.
In a related development, the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) on Tuesday appointed one of its members, Vicha Mahakun, to head a sub-committee to investigate the cause of Tuesday's clashes.
The sub-committee is being formed at the request of the opposition Democrat Party in the belief that the national police chief, Bangkok Metropolitan Police chief and his deputy ordered police to crack down on the protesters by using deadly weapons considered beyond the legal limit. (TNA)
General News : Last Update : 17:13:21 14 October 2008 (GMT+7:00)
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