The current cycle of confrontations began before dawn on Thursday, when police broke up an overnight rally outside Government House, which hosts the offices of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. It led Prayuth to declare a state of emergency, banning gatherings of more than five people and allowing the government extra powers to keep the peace.

Protesters ignored the emergency decree and gathered on Thursday night in large numbers at a major intersection in Bangkok’s central shopping district. overcoming half-hearted resistance by thin lines of police.

Police made no efforts to break up Saturday’s gatherings, which ended peacefully at 8pm, as scheduled by organisers.

A statement issued late Saturday night by Prayuth’s office said the government had acted within the law in seeking to stop the rallies, and did not intend to deny people their rights.

“The situation is very dynamic at the moment,” police deputy spokesperson Kissana Phatanacharoen said at a Sunday morning news conference. “There is no formula as to what we do or what we don’t do.”

He said that if people failed to obey the law, police would be compelled to enforce it.

The protesters charge that Prayuth, who as army commander led a 2014 coup that toppled an elected government, was returned to power unfairly in last year’s general election because laws had been changed to favour a pro-military party. The protesters say a constitution promulgated under military rule and passed in a referendum in which campaigning against it was illegal is undemocratic.

Thailand’s protesters are taking on the monarchy because of the military

The protest movement became particularly controversial when it adopted reform of the monarchy as a demand. The protesters want it to act within the checks and balances of democracy.

The monarchy has long been considered sacrosanct in Thailand, and is protected by a law that makes defaming the royal institution punishable by three to 15 years imprisonment. The issue has angered Thailand’s conservative establishment, especially the army, which considers protecting the monarchy to be one of its main duties.

“I do not know if everyone still remembers? Six years ago, a group of people called themselves the People’s Democratic Reform Committee and demanded my resignation. And the army chief, Prayuth Chan-ocha, asked if I could continue leading the government,” she wrote on Facebook.

“In the end, I decided to announce the dissolution of Parliament to pave the way for new elections so that the people could determine the future of the country for themselves in keeping with democratic principles.

“Today, the same event has happened to Prayuth. Students, brothers and sisters want to see the country change, and they are asking Prayuth to resign and amend the Constitution. I have been monitoring the situation in Thailand with concern.

“It reminded me of a time when you [Prayuth] asked me six years ago if I was okay. And I hope you remember that today and choose to make a decision quickly so that the country can calm down and move on.”