Last week I wrote a story for Quartz about the increasing use of drone journalism here in Bangkok amid ongoing protests.
At that time, Thai media outlets and others were using the devices to photograph demonstrations around Democracy Monument.
Protests have escalated in recent days, and the drones are providing some vivid footage.
Today Bangkok Pundit linked to two videos that are worth checking out.
Here’s the first, embedded below and on YouTube here, from 3:20 p.m.
And here’s the second, embedded below and on YouTube here, from 6 p.m.
The videos show protesters at a gate leading to Government House. Throughout the day, as you can see, demonstrators tried to breach barriers that the police had set up. Police, time and again, repelled them with tear gas and water cannons.
Meanwhile, I took in the scene in from a pedestrian walkway several hundred meters away; it’s the walkway the drone passes over at about the 2:55 mark in the second video.
Here’re some photos I snapped as tear gas sent protesters scurrying away from the gate that afternoon and early evening.
And here’s an image of a wounded protester being trucked away.
As for the latest today, here are some stories worth checking out. In short, the protests continue. And Yingluck says she’s not stepping down.
- Yingluck Says Constitution Won’t Allow Her to Meet Protesters’ Demands — WSJ
- Thai PM says protesters’ demands unacceptable — AP
- Long-running societal divide fuels Thai conflict — AP
- Thai PM calls for talks as police use rubber bullets on protesters — Reuters
- Thailand protests: PM rejects resignation demand — BBC
- Thai Police Step Up Defense in Bangkok as Protests Continue — NYT
As ever, follow me on Twitter for updates throughout the day.