Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

A protest in Bangkok in August 2020. Shutterstock/Goldenhearty

Thai pro-democracy protesters return to streets calling for royal reforms

Protesters scaled a massive monument in the capital as they called for the abolishment of royal defamation laws.

THAI PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTERS scaled a massive Bangkok monument today, draping it in a crimson cloth and calling for the country to abolish its draconian royal defamation laws.

Momentum for the youth-led movement calling for an overhaul to Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha’s government has slowed in recent months, due to a fresh wave of coronavirus infections in Thailand.

But the recent detention of four prominent leaders has spurred protesters into action, bringing hundreds back to the Democracy Monument intersection in Bangkok’s historic quarter — under the close watch of scores of riot police.

The leaders were charged under the lese majeste law, which carries penalties of up to 15 years per charge if found guilty of insulting the monarchy.

“I want to stress the purpose of today’s rally is to call for 112 to be abolished,” said Panupong “Mike” Jadnok, referring to the law by its penal code section.

After rearranging flower pots around the monument to say “112″, activists draped a massive red cloth over Democracy Monument in an act of defiance.

As night fell, the protesters marched to the Royal Palace but were stopped by barricades and barbed wire surrounding the area and scores of police in full riot gear. 

Officers stood in a tense stand-off against the protesters, some of whom were wielding white shields, gas masks and helmets.

After some negotiations, authorities escorted four protest leaders to the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine, next to the Grand Palace, where they performed a Buddhist water blessing ceremony and called: “Down with feudalism, long live the people.”

“We’ve asked the spirit protecting the shrine to side with the people,” rally leader Attapon Buapat told waiting demonstrators, declaring a return to the streets in a week if their comrades are not released.

“If our demands are not met, we will raise the temperatures.”

While most of the protesters left after Attapon’s announcement, more than a dozen remained. 

They threw water bottles and small homemade “ping pong” bombs — around the size of a table tennis ball — at the police, who braced against the onslaught until all had dispersed by around 9 pm. 

The pro-democracy movement, which kicked off last July, is calling for reforms to the unassailable monarchy, and the abolition of the royal defamation law is one of its key demands.

Their grievances with the royals have electrified Thai society, where frank discussion about the family is taboo.

At its peak, the rallies drew tens of thousands, with demonstrators drawing inspiration from Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.

In November, police deployed tear gas and water cannon against protesters, using liquid laced with an irritant, and clashes left more than 40 people injured.

Author
View 3 comments
Close
3 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ned
    Favourite Ned
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:06 PM

    Mayor, leave the Lord part out of it, leave the
    Lord stuff to the British I say.

    194
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Blaine
    Favourite Dermot Blaine
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:35 PM

    @Ned: yes, let’s give them back their language, roads, train lines, judicial system, parliamentary system, football, television, pantomines, Christmas traditions, parks and the county system they designed. Down with that sort of thing.

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Duvanny
    Favourite Mick Duvanny
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 9:07 PM

    @Dermot Blaine: The judicial system isn’t great. Should’ve been changed years ago

    105
    See 5 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Hunt
    Favourite Brian Hunt
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 10:45 PM

    @Mick Duvanny: The legal industry, which is well represented in the government, don’t want change. One of the conditions for the financial bail-out was reform of the legal system, the government reneged on that. The present system is extremely lucrative.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ned
    Favourite Ned
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 11:14 PM

    @Dermot Blaine: if you say so lad but you might want to keep a few just in case?

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dominic Leleu
    Favourite Dominic Leleu
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 7:39 AM

    @Ned: it is indeed the first priority for the “kip”…. come on ned

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jim O'Sullivan
    Favourite Jim O'Sullivan
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 7:57 AM

    @Dermot Blaine: \what an utterly forelock tugging comment Anyway, most of the items you cire were not English innovations—but then what do you expect from an Eastenders fan,

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ned
    Favourite Ned
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 4:41 PM

    @H Woo: that’s a very strange question? We speak English these days,

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jp Cleary
    Favourite Jp Cleary
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:10 PM

    Why is this article up again…. seen it 3/4 days ago .

    101
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Power
    Favourite Alan Power
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:13 PM

    @Jp Cleary: and you’ve seen it again!

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Hunt
    Favourite Brian Hunt
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 10:47 PM

    @Jp Cleary: Maybe you weren’t paying attention!

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Collins
    Favourite Michael Collins
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:24 PM

    What a surprise …

    76
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Power
    Favourite Alan Power
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:30 PM

    @Michael Collins: no surprise, you are a stalker, with multiple trolling accounts Michele Caine lol

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Blaine
    Favourite Dermot Blaine
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:36 PM

    @Michael Collins: not a surprise, you commented on it yesterday

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Hunt
    Favourite Brian Hunt
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 10:52 PM

    Should be an elected position, with real power!

    60
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Lacey
    Favourite Dermot Lacey
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 12:17 AM

    @Brian Hunt: It is an elected position.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Neill
    Favourite Dave O Neill
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 11:06 AM

    @Dermot Lacey: Elected by who

    4
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Lacey
    Favourite Dermot Lacey
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 9:01 PM

    @Dave O Neill: by the same system that elects the Taoiseach. The elected ( by the people) members in the Chamber to which they were elected then elect the Lord Mayor.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac McKay
    Favourite Cormac McKay
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 10:42 PM

    Our 7th ceremonial powerless Mayor in Dublin City Council in 5 years

    60
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank Mc Carthy
    Favourite Frank Mc Carthy
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:07 PM

    Congratulations Emma Blain, best of luck in your tenure.

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Kerr
    Favourite Kevin Kerr
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 9:24 PM

    @Frank Mc Carthy: last week you referred to the role as another snout in the trough. Frank the fraud. Frank the troll

    138
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank Mc Carthy
    Favourite Frank Mc Carthy
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 9:39 PM

    Hi brenny, those comments about that cinema in Galway were seriously vile….delighted you got deleted.

    3
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevvy kerrr
    Favourite Kevvy kerrr
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 9:41 PM

    @Basildon Joe: just a heads up Joe. ..this one is one of brennys…… bren set up this one to stalk/ bully me

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Quinny
    Favourite Quinny
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 11:05 PM

    Not on topic, but imagine trying to cross the sea for a better life and to drowned, men , women and children dieing while we eat our Christmas dinner soon and complain about things that don’t even matter. Life has little understanding no matter how old you become!!

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Power
    Favourite Alan Power
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:05 PM

    Good

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Power
    Favourite Alan Power
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:08 PM

    The thug who threw excrement at Ann Rabbitte should have been jailed for at least 10 years, what if it was a more sinister attack

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Freda Peeple
    Favourite Freda Peeple
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:11 PM

    @Alan Power: If you had any chance of getting your hole things like this wouldn’t bother you at all. Can only imagine the horror your mother faces when she cleans your room

    157
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Power
    Favourite Alan Power
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:15 PM

    @Freda Peeple: I share the same room with your ma, so make sure you do a bit of hoovering now and then

    19
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Freda Peeple
    Favourite Freda Peeple
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:21 PM

    @Alan Power: Haha we all know there is only room for you and palm in the box room.

    131
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Power
    Favourite Alan Power
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:27 PM

    @Freda Peeple: aw, you OK, babby?

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Willie Marty
    Favourite Willie Marty
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:36 PM

    @Alan Power: a very decent man according to three respectable witnesses and the judge.

    113
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute honey badger
    Favourite honey badger
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:34 PM

    A ceremonial ‘pass the parcel’ between the parties. Personally, I’d rather see it have genuine executive powers. In the meantime, best of luck to her.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Blaine
    Favourite Dermot Blaine
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 8:43 PM

    @honey badger: maybe, but DCC is one of the most successful local authorities in the country, they do this largely by consensus, it’s not as partisan as national politics.

    61
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank
    Favourite Frank
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 10:07 PM

    @Dermot Blaine: Still haven’t sorted the transport system though. No metro. For a city of that size, incredible.

    51
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Hunt
    Favourite Brian Hunt
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 10:51 PM

    @Dermot Blaine: Well, they’re big on Woke, but on infrastructure, they’re appalling!

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Blaine
    Favourite Dermot Blaine
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 7:42 AM

    @Frank: no, they’re not perfect by any means, but better than most

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Cormican
    Favourite Shane Cormican
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 10:25 PM

    Pink profiling she will be back for next election – good luck to her but her party will use her up and take ideals out of her

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Power
    Favourite Alan Power
    Report
    Dec 18th 2024, 11:46 PM

    The profanity towards this woman is off the scale, Sinead O’Carroll should be utterly ashamed of herself for allowing such vitriol to be vented, but of course, The Journal needs donations, no wonder, what a rag

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Trump24
    Favourite Trump24
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 2:05 PM

    At least it’s another shinner kept out of power.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Todd Hebert
    Favourite Todd Hebert
    Report
    Dec 20th 2024, 8:56 AM

    Elected? I think you mean appointed.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Moore
    Favourite John Moore
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 6:33 PM

    Nice to be able to say you were the mayor but in reality it means very little. The term is a year max and role ceremonial. Obviously a directly elected mayor would be a different ball game but is being held back because a number of people don’t want to cede any kind of control even though it would benefit the city.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Blaney Richard
    Favourite Blaney Richard
    Report
    Dec 19th 2024, 5:16 PM

    Good god a lot of blue shirts on here!!as usual,do you lads not work?oh probably in the party,that makes sense!!freaks

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds