Protesters demand Thai PM quit
Print Edition
At least 10,000 Thai protesters marched to the prime minister鈥檚 office yesterday demanding he step down, while thousands of royalist supporters also turned out in their biggest showing since anti-government demonstrations began three months ago.
The two camps gathered face-to-face at Bangkok鈥檚 Democracy Monument, which has become a focal point for the protests.
They kept apart barring some brief scuffles, but the standoff was an uncomfortable reminder of a decade of street violence between supporters and opponents of the establishment that ended in a coup in 2014.
The protest movement is calling for the departure of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of that coup, and a new constitution. It also wants reforms to curb the king鈥檚 powers, breaking a longstanding taboo on criticizing the monarchy.
鈥淗ave faith in democracy. We cannot fall back,鈥 protest leader Parit 鈥淧enguin鈥 Chirawat told protesters on the march to Government House.
Leaders of the demonstrations said it was their biggest rally yet, drawing tens of thousands of people to a march that stretched for more than 1 kilometer. Police put the number at about 8,000.
Meanwhile, thousands of yellow-clad supporters of King Maha Vajiralongkorn lined the streets to catch a rare glimpse of the monarch as his motorcade drove through Bangkok. He spends much of his time in Germany.
Municipal trucks brought hundreds of workers to join the crowd.
One man among them appeared to sympathize with passing protesters, giving the three-fingered salute that has become the symbol of resistance against the political establishment. Demonstrators rushed to shake his hand.
Video on social media showed the queen smiling through the car window.
One royalist leader, Buddha Issara, said the protesters could demand democracy but must not call for reforms of the monarchy, as some have done.
鈥淭hey must not touch the institution,鈥 he told reporters.
Protesters made a rare direct challenge to the king on Tuesday, chanting at his passing convoy after 21 activists were arrested during scuffles with police. The detainees were yesterday charged with public order offences.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said police had been told to avoid needless confrontation.
A police spokesman, Kissana Phathanacharoen, said the presence of protesters within 50 meters of Government House was illegal. Protesters have said they will stay outside the seat of power overnight.
The royal palace has not responded to requests for comment on the protests or the protesters鈥 demands.
Pro-royalist demonstrations have been small compared with the tens of thousands who joined the biggest anti-government demonstration in September.
But yesterday鈥檚 gathering of supporters of the monarchy was much larger.
Among the anti-government protesters鈥 demands are for curbs on the constitutional powers of the king and for him to transfer back personal control he took of some army units and a palace fortune valued in the tens of billions of dollars.
They say Prayuth manipulated elections last year to ensure the army鈥檚 continued hold over the establishment. He says the elections were fair.
鈥淭hings shouldn鈥檛 be like this,鈥 said one 17-year-old student at the protest who gave her name only as Foil. 鈥淲e have to take back our future.鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
