Thailand ‘land of compromise’ says king as he takes to streets to meet supporters
- Thousands of yellow-shirted supporters waited for hours to meet King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida
- ‘We love them all the same’ monarch says when asked about protesters demanding reforms
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Thai king and queen meet thousands of supporters as pressure from anti-government protests mounts
The monarch waved to the crowd and smiled, surrounded by aides who crouched beside him as he walked. He paused briefly to make a rare comment when asked what he would say to the protesters who have been demanding reforms.
“We love them all the same,” the Thai king told the UK’s Channel 4 News. Asked if there was room to compromise with protesters, the king said, “Thailand is the land of compromise,” and quickly turned to walk away.
The unprecedented challenge to decades of tradition has led royalists – mainly older Thais – to stage their own counter-rallies and to denounce the protesters for raising the issue, increasing the risk of violent confrontations or intervention by the army, which declares defence of the monarchy to be one of its main duties.