Protesters clash with police as Thai politician pushes through crowds at student rally

There were angry scenes as protesters clashed with police when the Thai Education Minister confronted a student rally today (August 19).

Hundreds of High School pupils staged a sit down protest outside the Ministry of Education in Bangkok, Thailand, amid growing anger towards the country's military government.

They wore white ribbons in their hair, held placards and made a three-finger salute which has become a symbol of the country's democracy movement.

They are angry at teachers in many schools banning them from political expressions.

However, the country's Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan sparked chaos when he walked through crowds to reach the youngster.

Several elder demonstrators clashed with police while one pensioner - wearing a symbolic block of conrete round his neck - had to be pushed away by bodyguards when he tried to reach the minister.

Teepsuwan then spent several minute speaking with the students to listen to their concerns that their views are being stifled by teachers.

The teenagers are now joining a growing movement of young people showing their anger at the military government who seized power with a coup in 2014.

A series of protests have taken place in recent months in which demonstrators - mainly university students as well as left-wing and progressive groups - have called for greater levels of democracy and accountability in the country.

On Saturday, thousands of protesters converged on the Democracy Monument in the capital Bangkok in the largest rally since 2014.

Anger has been growing since March 2019 when controversial elections returned career soldier General Prayut Chan-o-cha to power and saw the progressive Future Forward Party disbanded amid claims that opposition parties were being silenced.

A number of opposition leaders have been arrested in recent months though police so far shown restraint and have avoided any violent crackdowns on the gatherings.