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BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s praise of a man who held a royal portrait at a protest site in Bangkok sparked controversy in Thailand, earning praise from royalists and contempt from protesters.
The king has made no public comment on more than three months of protests, which have increasingly targeted the monarchy and the government.
But in a video recorded Friday night as the king greeted supporters outside the Grand Palace, he is heard praising a royalist who is introduced by Queen Suthida as the man holding the royal portrait while others protested.
“Very brave, very brave, very good, thank you,” said the king.
The Royal Palace did not comment, as it has not since the start of anti-government protests in July that have also increasingly targeted the monarchy. Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri declined to comment.
The video was posted on the realist’s Facebook page along with several other videos from the event and photos of him on October 20 holding the portrait.
“Their majesties recognized me. This is the highest point of my life,” wrote the man, Thitiwat Tanagaroon.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the video. Several other people at the event recorded the meeting and posted videos online, but the king’s words were not clear amid the chant.
The king’s comments elicited a great response.
“Just looking at this image, we are very moved,” published realist leader Warong Dechgitvigrom. “This is the Thai way and Thai society to care, support and protect. Today their institution is seen as having adapted to be very close to people. That made the biggest impression.”
But also among the top trending hashtags on Twitter in Thailand, tweeted more than 500,000 times, was # 23OctEyesOpened, used by protesters and their supporters who said the Palace had made their position clear.
The #VeryBraveVeryGoodThankYou hashtag was also widely used, along with sarcastic comments.
“Very brave, very brave, very good for such a clear expression,” read a comment from protest leader Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree. He has placed less emphasis than others on calls for real reform.
Another leader of the protest, Piyarat Chongthep, commented: “The king has not been above the political problems, but he is always at the center of the problems.”
The protesters are seeking the removal of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former junta leader they accuse of organizing an election last year to maintain power. Denies the accusation.
The protests also seek changes to the constitution and to reduce the powers of the monarchy, which they say has helped allow decades of military rule.
Under Thailand’s constitution, the monarchy is “enthroned in a position of revered worship” but does not initially participate in politics, a point the king himself stressed during last year’s elections.
James Buchanan, a professor at Mahidol University International College in Bangkok, said the king’s comments marked his clearest intervention yet in the Thailand crisis.
“I interpret this as a sign that the king recognizes the challenge to his authority by the protests, but will not back down,” he said.
(Additional reporting by Panu Wongcha-Um; written by Matthew Tostevin)
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