Hundreds of protesters - including children who were caught up in the fracas - were blasted with irritant chemicals fired from water cannons in Bangkok, Thailand today (November 17).

One young boy in school uniform was seen crying as paramedics urgently gave him water to cleanse his stinging eyes after being hit by the liquid. Dozens of protesters - along with BBC reporter Jonathan Head - were also hit during the fracas, with them rubbing their eyes in pain.

The scenes came as demonstrators gathered in the Thai 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 in front of a Government building.

Riots squads responded to the gathering by firing water laced with chemicals at protesters and bright purple liquid with dye inside.

The violence followed rallies by pro-establishment supporters who 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.