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SINGAPORE: Months of protests in Thailand came to a head on October 16 when police deployed water cannons, the strongest use of force against protesters calling for reform of the Thai monarchy and the removal of Prime Minister Prayut Chan -ocha.
This sparked a flood of online posts on the popular social media platform Twitter under the hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance.
Netizens in Hong Kong and Taiwan posted messages of support for the Thai activists. Student activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan organized physical demonstrations in solidarity with the Thai protesters.
The Thai protesters even took a page from the Hong Kong protesters’ playbook and wore helmets, goggles and gas masks to protect themselves after clashes with the police.
But that didn’t stop another round of police from firing water cannons at protesters on November 8. Fortunately, events did not escalate and the protesters were able to deliver a letter to the king explaining their concerns.
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LOVE SHARED FOR MILK TEA AND MORE
The Milk Tea Alliance spans Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand, and is named after a shared love of the drink.
The group was born in April from an online battle between Chinese and Thai netizens, sparked by Thai actor Vachirawat Chivaaree and his girlfriend’s tweets of support for Hong Kong’s independence.
A flexible alliance of netizens from Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan created the hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance to rally supporters and push back Chinese netizens by posting memes and other self-destructive content on Twitter and Facebook.
Some memes emphasize unity among members – a popular one is an illustration of three varieties of milk tea joining their arms – while others poke fun at the alleged swagger of Chinese nationalists.
Illustration of three varieties of tea with milk joining arms. (Photo: Twitter / @ tpagon)
The online initiative has evolved into a regional movement for greater political autonomy.
The activists and protesters are mostly young professionals, college and high school students. They are tech savvy and have been actively involved in protests.
Members of the alliance have worked together to promote their protests. Activists in Hong Kong have raised the three-finger salute, a symbol of reform in Thailand, while protesters in Thailand have highlighted the plight of 12 Hong Kong youths detained by Chinese authorities in September.
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However, just as milk tea is drunk differently, the specific goals of the protests in the alliance vary.
Thai protesters advocate reform of Thailand’s military leadership and monarchy, while Hong Kong protesters want greater autonomy from China.
While some Thai protesters have also explicitly expressed concern about the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Thailand and the region as a main area of its platform, internal issues have clearly taken precedence.
THE ROLE OF MESSAGING APPS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Their ability to mobilize quickly, through instant messaging, social media, and word of mouth, allows protesters to stay one step ahead of the authorities.
Encrypted messaging chat applications, such as Telegram, are used to communicate information and share strategies for rallies and marches.
Protesters attend a rally in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 25, 2020 (Photo: Reuters / Athit Perawongmetha)
While these protests have no leaders, no single or obvious leaders, their flat hierarchy allows decisions to be made quickly. Strategies evolve from scratch, via online forums or messaging chat groups on Telegram, where participants vote on the next course of action.
This has given protesters fluidity in changing circumstances. The meeting points for the rallies are posted on messaging platforms at the last minute, allowing protesters to create spontaneous flashmobs, hampering the authorities’ efforts to quickly dissolve the crowds.
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For example, on October 17 in Bangkok, organizers sent a message to protesters to board public trains at 3pm and await further instructions on where to disembark. But authorities found out about this and closed several train lines and stations at 3 pm.
However, the organizers confirmed through a tweet that the demonstrations would take place in selected places and, within an hour, the participants showed up on foot, by motorcycle or by tuk tuk.
Hashtags like #StandwithThailand and #MilkTeaAlliance on Twitter amplify the messages of the protests, while Facebook pages calling for support and their coverage of mainstream media have propelled the movement to international attention.
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IS THE PROBLEM PREPARING?
Social media and technology platforms provide increased awareness and exposure to opposing viewpoints online, even as young adults move away from traditional or rigid perceived social norms and hierarchies.
The lack of participatory policies comes at a time when the growing number of young people in Asia are demanding more inclusion in society and are willing to question existing flaws in political leadership.
In Thailand, for example, young people are angered by the February 21 dissolution of the opposition group Future Forward Party (FFP), which won the third highest proportion of seats in the 2019 Thai elections. The court had dissolved the party over the claim that a $ 6 million loan from party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit to finance the FFP campaign was illegal as it violated the limits on political donations by individuals.
Critics say the move was politically motivated, as it happened shortly before a censorship debate against six cabinet ministers, including Prime Minister Prayut.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit of Thailand’s progressive Future Forward Party speaks with supporters during an unauthorized flash mob rally in Bangkok, Thailand, on December 14, 2019 (Photo: REUTERS / Soe Zeya Tun).
Although the protests stem from political and generational grievances, economic factors have also contributed to the unhappiness of the protesters.
While economic hardships are not prominently featured in Thai protest narratives, the severe economic recession and rising social inequalities have deepened resentment. COVID-19 has compounded these difficulties.
The Asian Development Bank estimates that the youth unemployment rate in Thailand will rise to 16.4 percent in 2020, up from 4.2 percent in 2019. Young adults graduating from universities will have a hard time finding work as they have to compete with more experienced job seekers for fewer jobs. – and you will probably earn less in the next few years.
The Milk Tea Alliance is not without its critics. Some warn of the polarizing effects of the protests in Thailand, as tensions between the protesters and the older generation of conservatives and royalists could lead to violent clashes.
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THE FINAL GAME OF THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE
Protests are expected to continue in Thailand. The momentum built up from months of protests is unlikely to dissipate anytime soon as empowered youth continue to challenge and advocate for structural reforms.
Young people from other parts of Asia within the region may also draw inspiration from their counterparts in Thailand or Hong Kong.
For example, the movement has had an echo in neighboring Laos. The hashtag “if Laos politics were good” sparked a barrage of criticism of the Lao government for corruption and inequality. As of October 20, the hashtag had almost 400,000 posts, which were often tagged with #MilkTeaAlliance as well.
The Thai government announced on October 28 that it will establish parliamentary committees to study the issues raised by the protesters. The protesters, however, have refused to participate in the political reconciliation panel initiated by the parliament.
Without the participation and input of the protesters themselves, it remains to be seen whether a debate or a fruitful outcome can emerge.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha walks after attending a special session of parliament to discuss the current political situation and ongoing anti-government protests in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 26, 2020 (Photo: REUTERS / Chalinee Thirasupa).
Providing visions for societies to unite under common values and values seems to be increasingly difficult. As societies rebound from the economic pain inflicted by COVID-19, how leaders respond to growing dissent is crucial.
The Alliance may carry on with its current momentum, or it may lose steam. One thing is for sure: no matter the outcome, campaigns like the Milk Tea Alliance show that young people will find ways to make their voices heard, out loud.
Dymples Leong is a Senior Analyst at the Center of Excellence for National Security (CENS) at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University.
