Thai protest: Friendly cops welcome people with roses, tension eases

, Dec 3: In a surprise move, Thai police allowed Anti-government protesters through barricades outside the government and metropolitan police headquarters on Tuesday. According to local media in Bangkok, the tensions between protesters and police have eased. (See pictures below the article)

The protest to overthrow Thailand prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra had turned violent in last two days. On Tuesday morning on twitter, Andrew RC Marshall, a Reuters correspondent in Bangkok, posted a picture showing Thai policemen waiting for the protesters in the city headquarters, with red roses. Police have been ordered to wear a 'friendly smile, tweets Marshall.

Police, protesters and media are still in disbelief and a police man told marshall that "he is confused".

Metropolitan Police chief Lieutenant General Kamronwit Thoopkrajang told AFP that his officers would no longer stop protesters at p[olice head quarters. The Metropolitan Police Headquarters belongs to the public, he said.

"There will be no use of tear gas today," he said. "Last night a police officer was injured by a gunshot so if we resist there will be more injuries, and we are all Thais," he said.

The protests are aimed with ousting the present government and replacing it with a "people's council". The previous ruler Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother, was ousted in a coup seven years ago.

The demonstrators on Tuesday went ahead to claim they had won the battle.

"Victory is in the hands of the people's army. We are able to seize all key government facilities," one of the protest leaders, Issara Somchai, said to supporters.

Yesterday, police had used rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon to fend off the protesters. In the past week, the protest had left many dead and injured.

In Bangkok

Thai police remove barbed wire outside the city police headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand

In Bangkok

Anti-government protesters gather outside the city police headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand

In Bangkok

Anti-government protesters throw rocks after riot police fired tear gas to them near the Government House in Bangkok, on Monday

In Bangkok

An anti-government protester blows a giant whistle to a riot police officer outside the headquarters of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's ruling Pheu Thai Party in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday

In Bangkok

Thai riot policemen guard at the Royal Thai Police headquarters where anti-government protesters gather outside it, in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday

In Bangkok

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra speaks at a news conference at the government house in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday

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