Thai protesters rally for royal reforms
BANGKOK: More than 1,000 prodemocracy protesters took over a major intersection here yesterday, defying the authorities in the first major rally since police used rubber bullets against demonstrators over the weekend.
Thailand’s protest movement kicked off in July, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o Cha’s government and a rewrite of a militaryscripted constitution.
But the most controversial demand is to reform the untouchable monarchy, including the abolition of the kingdom’s draconian royal defamation laws.
More than 70 protesters and student leaders have been charged for allegedly insulting the monarchy and about a dozen are remanded. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in jail per charge.
Yesterday, protesters gathered at the main shopping district here, chanting “release our friends” and “abolish 112”, a reference to the lese majeste law in Thailand’s criminal code that shields the monarchy from criticism.
A stage in the middle of the road had a huge banner that read “monarchy reform”, while scores of demonstrators held pictures of detainees and glued them onto street signs.
“It does not matter how many of our friends are arrested — 10 or 100 — we will not stop coming out,” Benja Apan, one of the protest leaders facing several royal defamation charges, told the crowd.
“It cannot stop our spirit. We will fight together. It will be good if our friends can be out fighting together with us.”