Bangkok (AP) Thai authorities have brought the harshest charges yet in connection with the ongoing pro-democracy demonstrations, charging two men under a section of the law that covers violence against the queen. Ekachai Hongkangwan and Paothong Bunkueanum were arrested on Friday. They could face from 16 years to life in prison.
The movement against the two activists comes as the student-led protest movement continues to press their demands, including new elections, changes to make the constitution more democratic, and reform of the monarchy to bring it into line with democratic norms. The movement showed its strength on Thursday night, when up to 10,000 supporters turned out for a demonstration in central Bangkok, defying a ban imposed that same day under the state of emergency. It followed another demonstration the day before, which was broken up by the police.
Police announced Friday that they would block roads leading to Bangkok’s Rajprasong intersection, where Thursday’s rally took place, after protesters called on supporters to return to mass. Lines set up by outnumbered police officers in the business district collapsed under little pressure from protesters, who continued their activities until after midnight. The legal aid group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said at least 51 people have been arrested since Tuesday in connection with the protests.
Ekachai is a veteran activist who has been physically assaulted several times, apparently in response to his criticism of the military. Paothong, a university student also known as Francis Bunkueanum, has been involved in organizing the recent protests. Wednesday’s incident in which the two were allegedly involved was surprising to most Thais, because by tradition and law, members of the royal family are treated with the utmost respect.
The video that was widely circulated on social media showed members of a small crowd interrupting a royal caravan carrying Queen Suthida and Prince Dipangkorn as it slowly passed. Security personnel stepped between the vehicles and the crowd, but there was no visible violence and none was described by witnesses. It took place during the third major demonstration in Bangkok called by protesters. They started at the city’s Democracy Monument, after which several thousand marched to Government House, where the offices of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha are located.
At the same time, King Maha Vajiralongkorn and other members of the royal family were driving to attend a royal religious ceremony in the Grand Palace. Queen Suthida’s caravan encountered a small crowd that had gathered at Government House in front of the main body of protesters.
The police did not notify us of the next royal caravan in which we had no way of knowing because they did not inform us, Paothong told reporters on Friday. Once we learned that there was a caravan of the queen and the presumed heir to the throne, I tried to break the line and use my megaphone to get everyone away from the police barriers so the caravan could easily pass, he said.
Prayuth’s declaration of a state of emergency said the move was necessary because certain groups of perpetrators intended to instigate an adverse incident and movement in the Bangkok area through various methods and through different channels, including obstruction of the royal caravan. Prayuth said on Friday that his government hopes it can cancel the state of emergency before its normal 30-day duration if the situation improves quickly. (AP).
Disclaimer: This post has been automatically published from an agency feed with no text modifications and has not been reviewed by an editor.
