BANGKOK, 15 Oct 2020:
Thailand’s government announced a “serious” state of emergency early today during another large protest in the historic centre of Bangkok, which was dispersed by riot police and its leaders arrested.
The decree, announced on state television, bans gatherings of more than four people from 4am Thursday – and prohibits publishing and broadcasting of news that may affect national security or peace and order.
It said “many groups of people have invited and held unlawful public gatherings in Bangkok” and that urgent measures are needed to maintain peace and order. The decree also said there had been actions affecting the royal procession.
However, thousands of protesters today occupied Bangkok’s city centre – defying the emergency decree imposed earlier in the day banning political gatherings to curb recent large-scale demonstrations demanding political and monarchical reform.
Peaceful demonstrators who had gathered – despite the ban on crowds of more than four people – initially struggled for control of the city’s Ratchaprasong Intersection, as Thai police linked arms to block access to the BTS Skytrain overpass and the street below.
“Get out!” demonstrators responded and continued to yell as police announced via megaphone that they were violating the state of emergency before the crowd broke through the chains of security officers, who then moved toward the outskirts of the avenue to spectate. Protesters sat down and continued chanting as they mulled camping out overnight.
Police had earlier given demonstrators an ultimatum to disperse by 6pm local time – which came and went. Everyone remained seated as of 6.30pm as more people kept arriving.
“We have to help our friends… to make police release friends from yesterday’s arrests,” said a 27-year-old protester who identified himself as “Off” when asked why he was there, adding that he was “not scared because it’s our right to stand for democracy.”
Thousands of protesters had marched to gather near Government House yesterday afternoon to continue to call for reform of the government and to limit the powers of the powerful monarchy – the latter a demand unprecedented in modern history.
The protest, which coincided with the anniversary of the student revolution in 1973, saw a few scuffles between opposing protest groups, but was mostly peaceful.
Queen Suthida’s motorcade, which drove through the crowd of protesters, was met with shouting and three-finger salutes – a symbol of defiance to authority inspired by the dystopian novels “The Hunger Games” that was widely seen Thursday too.
After the announcement of the emergency decree, riot police began to disperse protesters after 4am.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported at 5am that protesters – including Arnon Nampa, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak and Panupong Jadnok – had been arrested. A day earlier, 21 protesters had also been arrested while setting up for Wednesday’s demonstration.
In February, small student protests began after the Constitutional Court dissolved the popular Future Forward party. However, since July, after some restrictions to contain Covid-19 were lifted, they have gathered steam into large organised demonstrations of tens of thousands of people.
The main demand of the protesters is the resignation of the government, headed by the coup general Prayut Chan-ocha, and a new constitution – since the current one was drawn up by the old military junta (2014-2019) – in addition to reducing the influence of the military in politics.
The most controversial demand is the reform of the monarchy – a taboo subject until recently due to the great respect the institution has inspired and the strict lese majeste laws, which are punishable by up to 15 years in prison for those who criticise the crown.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who spends much of his time in Germany, arrived in the capital at the weekend to participate in religious ceremonies and the anniversary of the death of his father, the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on Oct13, 2016.
– EFE