Thread by @KhaosodEnglish

ESCALATION AT THE PARLIAMENT: Riot police launch high pressure water at pro-democracy frontline protesters who try to remove the barricades and approach the parliament building for today's rally. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Teargas agents may also have been used. Reporters at the scene smell teargas in the air, and riot police are seen donning their gasmasks while the water cannon is being launched at the protesters. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

The clash took place when volunteer guards of the pro-democracy movement attempted to remove obstacles laid down by the police and clear the way for other demonstrators expected to gather at the parliament this afternoon. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Despite the use of water cannon (and possibly teargas as well), frontline protesters are still trying to cut barbed wires and remove the obstacles to make way for today's protest. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Some of the protester guards also throw colored smoke bombs at the riot police in reply to the water cannons. Police are warning the demonstrators not to come any closer. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

More companies of crowd control police are being advanced to reinforce the barricades and prevent pro-democracy protesters from reaching the parliament building. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: Khaosod reporter just witnessed rubber bullets being handed out to riot police at the parliament, possibly for use against demonstrators if they manage to breach the barricades. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Khaosod reporter also saw police unloading cannisters of teargas from a truck. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

On a lighter side, the "Ducky Boats" have been unveiled! #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Not exactly clear how the protesters intend to use these inflatable boats. They are better suited for pool villas than crossing Chao Phraya River. Maybe the ducks can be shields against teargas? #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: A squad of riot police armed with rubber bullet rifles were marched out from their position to reinforce police lines facing off with the protesters just minutes ago. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Presence of rubber bullets is a new escalation for the ongoing protests; these crowd control weapons have not been used or seen in Thailand for many years. Will they be used on demonstrators today? #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: Teargas was launched at the protesters just minutes ago. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Ok, which one of you madlads was it? Police were forced to retreat earlier after a demonstrator threw back one of the teargas cannisters at the officers who launched them in front of the parliament. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Police armed with rubbet bullet rifles are seen among the crowd control officers during the confrontation right in front the parliament. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome left the parliament building to tell police to stop using teargas and water cannons on the demonstrators. Looks like they are not heeding his call. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

So THAT's what they are for! Protesters shield themselves behind giant rubber ducks and sitting mats from the riot police's water cannons at Kiakkai Intersection. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Another day of confrontation and police's use of force on unarmed demonstrators. A New Normal for Thailand under the 'elected' government of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha? #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

FYI: There are 2 flashpoints of clashes taking place close to the parliament: one at Kiakkai Intersection (seen in this video), and other site a bit further south at Boonrawd Brewery. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Frontline protesters in front of Boonrawd Brewery are determined to remove all of the police barricades that prevent them from reaching the parliament (whose golden spire can be seen in background), despite persistent use of water cannons and teargas. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน

More photos of the frontline protesters who volunteer to risk their limbs in a bid to breach the police barricades and make way for the main body of demonstrators. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Protesters hoist up inflatable duck boats to use them as shields against the police's water cannons at Kiakkai Intersection. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

A man scolds police for escorting junta-appointed Senators to leave the parliament via expressboats. He says the police are not letting public boats to service the river pier while the lawmakers make their escape. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Thailand Only: demonstrators at Kiakkai Intersection lock their rubber duck boats together to block the water cannons as frontline volunteers close up on the barricades and try to dismantle them. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: Protesters are now dismantling barricades at Kiakkai Intersection, just seconds after a police water truck mysteriously pulls back out of sight. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Demonstrators are now spilling through the breach in police's barricades at Kiakkai Intersection and confronting the riot police. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

A boat full of pro-democracy protesters just docked in at Kiakkai Pier and tried to block the lawmakers from fleeting the parliament. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: Police have completely pulled back from Kiakkai Intersection, leaving the protesters in full control of the area. They are now facing off with yellow shirted individuals occuyping the road in front of the parliament. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: With police gone from the area, protesters and yellow-shirted individuals are throwing projectiles at each other in front of parliament. This is the image many Thais have dreaded to see. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

No reports of injuries available so far from the skirmishes between the two sides, but several people were struck in the clashes. Both sides are now separated by metal fences that they made. Still no police at the scene. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

Where were the police while the rival protesters were clashing? Firing yet more rounds of water cannons and teargas at the demonstrators down the road, in front of Boonrawd Brewery, instead of rushing to contain the situation. #Thailand #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand

People in Hong Kong watching what's happening in Thailand be like: are sh*t here we go again. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand #Thailand #HongKong

Video from earlier when anti-government protesters and pro-establishment supporters clashed at Kiakkai Intersection after police pulled back from the area. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand #Thailand

It is unclear why police abruptly withdrew from their line of defense at Kiakkai Intersection, where they stood their ground and tried to repel protesters all afternoon. Absence of police led to skirmish between the 2 sides. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #whatshappeninginthailand #Thailand

It's getting dark now, but the confrontation in front of the parliament building continues unabated. Police are still launching water cannons and teargas at protesters (as of this tweet); they seem resolved not to yield the ground to demonstrators. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand

Photo from earlier shows protesters shielding themselves behind sitting mats as they charge at police barricades amid a salvo of water cannons and teargas close to the parliament. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Protesters are still trying to pull down concrete slabs used by the police as barricades to deter their march on the parliament. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Here's a replay of the dramatic moment earlier today when protesters breached through barricades at Kiakkai Intersection and police immediately retreated along a side street, toward Kiakkai Pier. (1/2) #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

However, this abrupt maneuver exposed the protesters to the position of hardline royalists who were also gathering in front of the parliament -- the upper left corner of this video (2/2) #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Olympics 2020 isn't cancelled after all: two protesters swam from Kiakkai Pier toward the parliament to evade police barricades on land. They arrived safely with their signs. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Here they are, the two swimming champions, walking with their signs "Stop Harming the People" and "I Ordered You to Accept the Charter Drafts" inside the parliament. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Yellow-shirted royalist protesters haven't left the scene just yet -- some are forming a column to face off with pro-reform demonstrators gathering at Kiakkai Intersection. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Thai innovation is at it again: activists mix rice with water to treat protesters struck with teargas in front of the parliament building. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Some teargas canisters fired by the police also landed close to rescue workers' ambulance. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Police announced through a loudspeaker that they have increased the amount of teargas inside the high pressure water used on protesters in front of Boonrawd Brewery in a bid to disperse them. All attempts failed so far. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Protesters drown a police teargas canister with water. Latest reports from the scene say the demonstrators have reached the parliament's outer wall, having broken through barricades after 5 solid hours of struggles. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Possible fire hazard: protester volunteer guards notice smell of leaking gas from a public bus parked at Kiakkai Intersection by police earlier. Police said they are investigating, and the area is cleared of demonstrators at the moment. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand

UPDATE: Official confirmed gas leak detected inside the bus. Protesters were advised to stay away from the vehicle and refrain from using mobile phones or lighting cigarettes until the situation is resolved. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Since we've been talking about the parliament all day, here's what it looks like from across the Chao Phraya River. The complex remains under construction despite many years of work (and taxpayers' money) spent on it. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

The fort has fallen: protesters step over police's barricades in front of Boonrawd Brewery, abandoned by police after 5 hours of firing teargas and water cannons, and link up with another body of demonstrators from Kiakkai. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Fire and rescue dept. is now at the scene to check on suspected gask leak inside a public bus parked by riot police at Kiakkai Intersection. Protest guards are preventing demonstrators from getting close. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: Clashes between protesters and hardline royalists near the parliament erupted again after a loud bang resembling gunshot was heard at Kiakkai Intersection. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: More loud bangs are heard at Kiakkai Intersection amid clashes between the two sides. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

BREAKING: Rescue workers are assisting those injured in the clashes at Kiakkai Intersection. A reporter for Khaosod says 4-5 bangs that sounded like gunshots were heard.

It's gonna be a long night here in Bangkok. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Listen for yourself: this video taken by Khaosod captures the loud bangs of what sounded like gunshots during renewed clashes between pro-reform protesters and hardline monarchy supporters. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand

Like the previous round of clashes that broke out between the 2 sides, no police are at the scene right now to contain the increasingly violent confrontation. #ม็อบ17พฤศจิกายน #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand