the parliament in thailand has begun
voting
on whether to accept changes to the
constitution as demanded by
pro-democracy protesters
demonstrators who want reform of the
monarchy and the resignation of the
prime minister
are expected to return to the streets of
bangkok in the hours ahead
more than 40 of them were injured on
tuesday after violent clashes with
police as they tried to reach the
parliament building
this report from our correspondent in
bangkok jonathan head
and nick millard on camera
in thailand a military-backed government
is battling
young protesters who want a proper
democracy
they've been campaigning for months for
a fairer political system
but also for a monarchy that respects
the rules
today that battle got rougher and wetter
well these protesters are now trying to
pull
away at this concrete barricade to make
our way through
and they are spraying
water cannon it's laced with chemicals
so
you can really smell the tear gas in it
at least protesters want to get through
to parliament because that's where
the reforms they're demanding are
supposed to be discussed
they're worried that in parliament
dominated by the military back party
[Applause]
their reforms are just going to be swept
aside that's why they're staying put
and you can see how determined they are
for a moment they vanished in clouds of
tear gas
[Applause]
but didn't retreat far though a few
were overcome
they've shattered a taboo against even
talking about the monarchy
but they're up against the old men of
thailand's parliament
and they've ruled out any discussion of
the king
he's at the heart of this conflict
these days king richard longhorn is
often seen on royal walkabouts
raising his profile but he spent most of
this year at a luxury hotel in germany
and has been accused of accumulating
excessive wealth and
power
many ties though still believe that
their king is above criticism
yellow-shirted loyalists came out to
confront the protesters
and to insist that thailand must stay
as it is well it's all over for today
but the protesters are promising to come
back again as they have
for the past four to five months in
asking for a monarchy that's
accountable and the military that stays
out of politics they believe they're
making
reasonable demands but they're up
against a state which doesn't even
believe these things can be discussed
the gap between both sides is yawning
and not getting any closer
jonathan head bbc news bangkok