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Thai protesters take aim at army after anti-government rallies
- Demonstrators renew demands for PM to resign, say military is wasting taxpayers’ money
- Rally follows Saturday event in Bangkok, when about 2,500 people gathered in one of largest street protests since 2014 coup
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Protesters rallied at the headquarters of Thailand’s army on Monday, accusing it of wasting taxpayers’ money on procurements and renewing demands for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s resignation, the latest show of public opposition to his rule.
About 200 demonstrators denounced the government and the army, accusing it of inappropriate defence spending and of interfering in politics by backing Prayuth’s bloodless 2014 putsch, which saw him installed as prime minister.
Though Prayuth now leads a civilian government following an election last year, critics say the military ensured the deck was stacked in his favour by writing a constitution that virtually guaranteed victory for his party.
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The rally followed a protest in Bangkok on Saturday of about 2,500 people, who demanded the government dissolve parliament, step down and end harassment of its critics, in one of the biggest street demonstrations since the 2014 coup that ousted the last elected administration.
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Thousands take to the streets of Thai capital Bangkok to protest against the government
Thousands take to the streets of Thai capital Bangkok to protest against the government
That rally and subsequent, smaller protests on Sunday in Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, were in defiance of a coronavirus ban on gatherings. Though police were present, there were no arrests.
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