Ruling authorities in Thailand are trying to get a hold on protesters who have taken to the streets in Bangkok by the thousands over the past three months. The protesters are calling on the country’s prime minister to step down and change its constitution to embrace democracy while reforming the role of the monarchy.
Nattarika Donhonpai, a high school student at a rally, told The New York Times, “Every one of us wants a country that belongs to the people. We want everyone to come out and use their rights and voices to express everything.”
The paper reported riot police used water cannons on Friday to deter protests and made some 20 arrests, including two for allegedly endangering the Thai Royal Family, which carries a life sentence if convicted. The paper said some of the protesters saw the charge as a form of intimidation. The two who were charged reportedly yelled something at a royal motorcade.
The paper, citing witnesses, said the motorcade, which included Queen Suthida and Prince Dipankorn Rasmijoti, passed by some of the protesters in their stretch Rolls Royce. One of the men charged said, “Oh, the royal motorcade,” and raised his hand with the “defiant three-fingered salute,” the report said. The other said through a megaphone, “Stay in line and keep the peace.”
The Associated Press reported the government is taking great lengths to stop the protests, which started in July. All public train service has been canceled, and police have blocked streets that lead to Bangkok. The government has issued an emergency decree that allows any protester to be arrested.
The AP reported there seems to be a generational clash playing out. Older and more conservative Thais tend to look at any criticism of the monarchy as the equivalent of treason. The protests that have emerged have been organized by tech-savvy students who use social media to evade police officers.
One protester, who identified herself only as “Veronica,” told the AP, “Right now, we can do nothing much. What we can do right now is only show our power to let the outside see.”
Tamara Loos, Professor of History and Thai studies at Cornell University, told the Washington Post in an email, “The regime’s declaration of a state of emergency offers a pretext for a crackdown on protests not just in Bangkok, but in cities in the north, south and northeast.” She continued, “The world is watching to see how Thailand’s king, who has yet to issue a public response, and its military regime will respond.”
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha declared a state of emergency Thursday morning after tens of thousands of protesters had camped overnight outside the Government House. The emergency decree bars gatherings of more than four people. Several protest leaders were arrested shortly after the decree according to NIKKEI Asia.
TREND FORECAST: Discontent in Thailand has been brewing since the 2014 military coup d’état.
As with the Hong Kong protesters who ignited in 2019, many of the demonstrators are young adults.
Unless they get a larger adult population to support them, we forecast the movement will be silenced by a strong military crackdown, as they did in Hong Kong.
