Hundreds of protesters were blasted with chemicals fired from water cannons in Bangkok on Tuesday.
Footage shows one young boy in school uniform crying as paramedics urgently give him water to cleanse his stinging eyes.
Independent onlookers and reporters hit by the water confirmed it contained irritant chemicals. Protest group ‘Free Youth’ said the youngest person injured during the chaos was in elementary school, which would make them between seven and nine years old.
Dozens of protesters including BBC reporter Jonathan Head were also hit during the fracas, with them being seen rubbing their eyes in pain.
The scenes came as demonstrators gathered in the capital for the latest anti-establishment protest. Smoke bombs were also hurled during a tense stand-off with riots squads that had set-up barbed-wire barricades. Riots squads responded by firing water laced with chemicals at protesters and bright purple liquid with dye inside.
Earlier in the day, crowds of pro-establishment supporters waved flags and held banners outside the Government House this morning.
They staged the show of support for King Rama X Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida ahead of the latest anti-establishment protests planned for the afternoon.
Thousands of protests have taken place in recent months across Thailand. Activists are calling for sweeping reforms including a new constitution, the resignation of the prime minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha and reforms of the monarchy.
