Thousands protest in Bangkok against government

Bloomberg

Thousands of anti-government protesters marched in the Thai capital of Bangkok on Sunday, demanding an end to the military-led administration and for the monarchy’s powers to be reined in.
Demonstrators in masks and carrying placards assembled at the Democracy Monument, which commemorates the 1932 revolution that ended absolute monarchy. They held up three fingers to reflect their calls for a dissolution of parliament, the end of threats on civil liberties, and for a new constitution to be drafted.
The rally is being organised by Free People, an umbrella group that includes several student organisations and others. Some student leaders have been arrested before being released on bail. Other demands include revoking strict lese-majeste laws, separating the monarch’s properties from the Crown Property Bureau, banning the sovereign from expressing political opinions and prohibiting the monarchy from endorsing any coups.
The protests are breaking deeply entrenched taboos in Thailand, where openly criticising the monarch can lead to long jail sentences and worse. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, a former army chief who staged a coup in 2014, said last week the majority of Thais disagreed with the protests as calls grow from the royal establishment to stop them.
“If we call for changes both inside and outside the parliament, the government should listen more,” said Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, a lawmaker from the opposition Move Forward party, who’s attended the protest to observe and talk to people.
The protest’s official hashtag, loosely translated as #SettingADeadlineToEndDictatorship, was the top-trending one on Thai Twitter with more than 3.11 million tweets.
“We’re not just a movement on social media anymore. We’re out here calling for real change and they have to listen,” said Chanita Chananusorrasit, a 24-year-old law graduate who attended the protest.
“We want a charter that belongs to all people, not just the military.”
Thai student activist leader Parit Chiwarak, who was arrested last week and later released on bail, said before the rally that he would continue to protest against the government.
“We’re not only fighting against the military dictatorship, but also fighting to solve issues with the monarchy,” Parit said on his Facebook page after being released on condition
he doesn’t repeat his alleged
offenses. Charges against him include sedition.
Dozens of pro-government and royalist supporters gathered on Sunday and also
attended the afternoon demonstration, though they were corralled to avoid clashes with protesters. They waved the Thai flag, held up portraits of the king, and wore yellow shirts,
a colour associated with the
Thai monarch. Police were stationed around the main protest area, screening people at several entrances.
Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, another student leader, said she would continue to speak out against the monarchy even though she expected to be arrested in what may be a violent crackdown.
“Eventually it will happen, yes, but if I can, I will try to
not lose everyone in violent protests,” she said. “I don’t want violence so I will try to focus
on peace.”