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BANGKOK: Protesters returned to the streets of Bangkok on Sunday (November 8) in a large rally against the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
But in addition to the usual protective gear of helmets, raincoats, and goggles in case of dispersal operations, they also brought letters for their monarch, King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X).
These are direct messages to the king, who has been caught up in an unprecedented political movement challenging the powers of the monarchy, a highly revered and legally protected institution in Thailand that has not been so openly questioned until recently.
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If successfully delivered, the letters will tell King Maha Vajiralongkorn how the monarchy should adjust according to Thailand’s constitutional monarchy system.
“If ‘loving them all equally’ is true, the king should receive letters from us, who are equally human beings as those in yellow shirts shouting ‘Long live the King,'” a protesting organizer said Saturday.
“We are simply citizens who are telling the truth … told by well-meaning people, not sweeping it under the rug, telling lies or uttering sweet words of praise to blind some people to real problems.”
Police stand guard at the Democracy Monument as royalist supporters gather nearby as they await the start of a demonstration by protesters in Bangkok on November 8, 2020 (Photo: AFP / Jack TAYLOR).
When asked last week to comment on the protests, the king first said he had no comment before quickly adding “we love you all equally” three times and that “Thailand is the land of compromise.”
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Supporters of the monarchy wave Thai national flags and display images of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Queen Suthida, and the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej as they gather at the Democracy Monument before a demonstration in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 8, 2020. (Photo: AP / Sakchai Lalit). )
Sunday’s rally is part of a series of protests that have occupied Thailand for several months. The meeting began in the afternoon at the Democracy Monument, a historic site in the capital city that commemorates Thailand’s transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in 1932.
A march is also scheduled to deliver the letters to the Royal Household Office in the Grand Palace.
The protesters are calling for an end to the rule of Prayut Chan-o-cha, the current prime minister and former army chief who came to power six years ago. They also demand a more democratic constitution and the reform of the powerful monarchy.
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More than 9,000 police officers were deployed around the Democracy Monument, the Grand Palace and the Government House on Sunday before the rally, according to Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Piya Tawichai.
Authorities also warned that protesters cannot hold public gatherings within 150 meters of the Grand Palace or any royal residence, and that any violation would lead to legal action.
“It is our duty to maintain peace and order and prevent incidents. We are also concerned about the people who join the protest. When they travel home tonight, it may not be safe because they will travel in various directions while the police officers they may need to focus on certain areas and therefore cannot provide in-depth security, “Piya told reporters at a news conference on Sunday.
