Thai activists set up ‘People’s Table’, defying the monarchy

Anti-government protesters put up a billboard declaring Thailand “belongs to the people” to show their opposition to the monarchy.

The plaque is found near the Royal Palace in Bangkok, in the last challenge with the Thai king Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Student-led protests have been held since July calling for reform of the country’s monarchy and political system.

One of the biggest protests in years took place last Saturday, which was attended by thousands of people challenging the government and demanding reforms.

Calls for royal reforms in special protests are seen as sensitive in Thailand, where criticism of the monarchy is severely punished by long prison terms.

The protesters are also calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power in the 2014 coup and won last year’s controversial elections.

On Sunday morning, the students put up a plaque called “People’s Table” near a field called Sanam Luang or Royal Field.

The sign dated September 20, 2020 in Thai: “The people express their intention that this country belongs to the people, not the king.”

Activists say this plaque replaces one marking the end of the absolute monarchy of the 1930s, which disappeared in 2017.

Cheers erupted as activists put up a new board and protesters shouted: “Destroy feudalism, the people for years.”

The police did not intervene and there were no reports of violence. A Thai government spokesman told Reuters news agency that the police would not use violence against protesters.

The protesters’ intention to march towards Government House was later thwarted by hundreds of unarmed police officers with crowd control barriers.

Instead, the protesters marched to deliver a letter demanding the reform of the monarchy to the police of the King’s Royal Guard.

Protest leaders declared victory after saying that the Royal Guard had agreed to send their request to the police headquarters. No comments from the police.

“Our biggest victory in two days was proving that ordinary people like us can send a letter to the royal family,” Parit “Penguin” rally leader Chiwarak said. The crowd will return for another rally next week.

Thailand has a long history of political instability and protests, but a new wave began in February after a court ordered the dissolution of a fledgling pro-democracy opposition party.

The Future Forward Party (FFP) is especially popular with young voters participating in elections for the first time and won the third-highest number of parliamentary seats in the March 2019 elections, when the military leadership was in power. win.

Protests flared up again in June when prominent pro-democracy activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit disappeared in Cambodia, where he has lived in exile since the 2014 military coup.

Wanchalearm Satsaksit’s whereabouts are unknown, and the protesters accused the Thai state of organizing his abduction, something the police and the government denied. Since July, there have been frequent street protests led by students.

The protesters demanded the dissolution of the government headed by Prime Minister Chan-ocha, former commander-in-chief of the army in power in the coup; the constitution must be rewritten; and the authorities stopped harassing critics.

The protesters’ request took an unprecedented step, last month when a 10-point call for monarchy reform was made at a rally.

The move caused a stir in a country where its people were taught from birth to respect and love the monarchy and fear the consequences of criticizing it.

The young student who delivered the manifesto, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, said that his intention “is not to destroy the monarchy but to modernize it, to adapt it to our society.”

But she and the activists have been accused of “general graphic”, a Thai term that means “national hatred,” and they say they are deeply afraid of the consequences of doing “the right thing.” “speaking.

Each of Thailand’s 19 modern constitutions states, from the outset, that “the king shall be crowned in a venerable position” and that “no one can accuse or offend.” King”.

These provisions are backed by article 112 of the penal code, known as the lese majesté law, which stipulates that anyone who criticizes the royal family must face a secret trial and a long prison term. .

The definition of what constitutes an insult to the monarchy is unclear, and human rights groups say that the Army Law is often used as a political tool to limit freedom of speech and opponents. ask for reform and change.

The law was increasingly enforced in the years after the 2014 coup, although it has slowed down since King Vajiralongkorn said he no longer wanted it to be widely used.

But observers say the government has used other legal avenues, including rebellion laws, to target dissidents.