Monday, August 17, 2020

Anti-royal protests in Buddhist Thailand



Thailand protests: Thousands gather in Bangkok to rally against government
(Global News, Aug. 16, 2020) Thousands of anti-government protesters gathered at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument on Sunday. The size of the rally indicated that the student-led movement in Thailand has now extended beyond the college campuses where it originated.

The student-led movement has three core demands: holding new elections, amending the constitution, and ending the intimidation of government critics.

“The government said they will not intimidate us, no soldiers or police will harass students. But we are still harassed by them anyway,” said one protester, known only by “Kwan.”

“The government has never been able to do anything they said they would do.”

Police arrested several protesters and charged them with sedition for statements made at a rally in July.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha led a coup ousting the elected government in 2014. He served as prime minister in the military regime that succeeded it and returned as premier after a general election in 2019, which was widely criticized as being undemocratic. More

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