Thai police fire water cannon at Bangkok monarchy protesters

Pro-democracy demonstrators assemble for second day in defiance of security crackdown

Riot police have used water cannon to disperse thousands of protesters, including school students, gathered in Bangkok as Thai authorities intensified a crackdown on demonstrations led by young people calling for reform of the monarchy.

Blasts of blue-coloured water were fired at demonstrators who had assembled for a second day in defiance of severe" emergency measures introduced this week in response to an unprecedented pro-democracy movement that has swept across Thailand over recent months.