With the call of university students, youth in Thailand have taken to the streets again. Thousands of demonstrators took over the center of the capital, Bangkok, on Thursday. The demonstrators defied the state of emergency and insisted that the government step down and implement reforms.
Our RFI correspondent Carol I reported from Bangkok Friday morning (October 16, 2020) that thousands of demonstrators took to the streets Thursday evening, October 15, to show authorities that they are not afraid of a state of emergency. Thailand has now banned gatherings of more than five people and the release of information about the demonstrators.
Thai Demonstrators Persist in Their Demands
Thai protesters were in the streets, despite the lack of leaders, for almost all of them had been arrested Thursday morning. The demonstrators were uneasy, but insistent in their demands: they wanted the government out of power and a new constitution, and they made an unprecedented demand for reform of the monarchy. Some of the protesters were very young, many were high school students, and were wearing school uniforms.
A 16-year-old demonstrator said that their government does not listen to the people and has contempt for them. It is unacceptable. The King is doing the same, taking Thailand’s resources and squandering them in Germany. And Thailand’s economy is going down the tubes. The king of a country lives abroad and continues to drain the people’s tax money. People no longer accept it. That’s what they want to tell the government.
University students don’t seem to have gone away
Thai authorities have not yet used force, but it is illegal to protest the monarchy. University students do not seem to have gone away and are calling for another rally. Tonight’s location is at one of the busiest intersections in the capital, Bangkok.
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