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Scuffles as thousands take to Bangkok streets to protest against Thailand’s government
- The mostly student demonstrators, wearing black inspired by the Hong Kong protests, sang songs denouncing Prayuth Chan-ocha’s administration
- Thailand is facing an economic shock due to the coronavirus pandemic, and anger is boiling against the government and royalist establishment
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Thousands of mainly young and black-clad Thai protesters converged on Saturday at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument as the city’s largest and rowdiest anti-government protest in years stretched deep into the night.
Thailand, a kingdom whose rambunctious politics is defined by coups and often deadly street protests, is facing an unprecedented economic shock due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With the economy in free fall, anger is boiling against a government stacked with elderly former generals and supporters of the royalist establishment.
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The crowd of students sang vitriolic anti-government rap songs and waved placards denouncing the administration of former army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha – and calling for the abolition of the Thailand’s strict royal defamation law.
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“The government doesn’t care about us, so either we come out or we lose anyway,” said an 18-year-old student called Sang, giving one name only. “The laws protect the rich and leave the people with nothing.”
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