BANGKOK: At least 10,000 Thai protesters marched to the prime minister’s office on Wednesday demanding he stepped down, while thousands of royalist supporters also turned out in their biggest showing since anti-government demonstrations began three months ago.
The two camps gathered face-to-face at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument, which has become a focal point for the protests.
They kept apart barring some brief scuffles, but the standoff was an uncomfortable reminder of a decade of street violence between supporters and opponents of the establishment that ended in a coup in 2014.
The protest movement is calling for the departure of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of that coup, and a new constitution. It also wants reforms to curb the king’s powers, breaking a longstanding taboo on criticising the monarchy.
“Have faith in democracy. We cannot fall back,” protest leader Parit “Penguin” Chirawat told protesters on the march to Government House.
Leaders of the demonstrations said it was their biggest rally yet, drawing tens of thousands of people to a march that stretched for more than 1 km (0.6 miles). Police put the number at about 8,000.
Meanwhile, thousands of yellow-clad supporters of King Maha Vajiralongkorn lined the streets to catch a rare glimpse of the monarch as his motorcade drove through Bangkok. He spends much of his time in Germany.
Municipal trucks brought hundreds of workers to join the crowd. One man among them appeared to sympathise with passing protesters, giving the three-fingered salute that has become the symbol of resistance against the political establishment. Demonstrators rushed to shake his hand.
Most royalists dispersed quickly after the motorcade carrying the king had passed, but some protesters later slowed a convoy carrying Queen Suthida, gave the three-fingered salute and chanted “get out” at police protecting the vehicle.
Video on social media showed the queen smiling through the car window.
ROYAL SENSITIVITY
One royalist leader, Buddha Issara, said the protesters could demand democracy but must not call for reforms of the monarchy, as some have done.
“They must not touch the institution,” he told reporters.
Protesters made a rare direct challenge to the king on Tuesday, chanting at his passing convoy after 21 activists were arrested during scuffles with police. The detainees were charged with public order offences on Wednesday.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said police had been told to avoid needless confrontation.
A police spokesman, Kissana Phathanacharoen, said the presence of protesters within 50 metres of Government House was illegal. Protesters have said they will stay outside the seat of power overnight.
The royal palace has not responded to requests for comment on the protests or the protesters’ demands.
Pro-royalist demonstrations have been small compared with the tens of thousands who joined the biggest anti-government demonstration in September. But Wednesday’s gathering of supporters of the monarchy was much larger.
“The establishment in Thailand plays a very dangerous game, mobilizing state security forces and ultra-royalist groups to confront the pro-democracy demonstrators,” said Prajak Kongkirati, a professor at Thammasat University.
Among the anti-government protesters’ demands are for curbs on the constitutional powers of the king and for him to transfer back personal control he took of some army units and a palace fortune valued in the tens of billions of dollars.
They say Prayuth manipulated elections last year to ensure the army’s continued hold over the establishment. He says the elections were fair.
“Things shouldn’t be like this,” said one 17-year-old student at the protest who gave her name only as Foil. “We have to take back our future.”
(Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Robert Birsel and Mike Collett-White)
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