Thailand police hunt Hong Kong-style pro-democracy flash mob that targeted Bangkok mall
- Protesters from Democratic Front for Hope unfurl banners in high-end Siam Paragon mall challenging establishment
- They said their action was in the spirit of #Santanarchist, whose ‘gift to the people is the truth about these capitalists’
Mass rallies that have targeted every aspect of the Thai establishment have, for now, dissolved into impromptu public shows of defiance, echoing their Hong Kong peers, whose creative social-media organised demonstrations have inspired a generation of democracy-seeking youth across Asia – the so-called #MilkTeaAlliance.
As a year of taboo-busting demonstrations draws to a close, protesters launched their public action at the Siam Paragon mall in central Bangkok late Thursday, stunning shoppers as they dropped large banners down a central atrium.
The banners read “Abolish Section 112” – the once-feared penal code that calls for up to 15 years in jail for each charge of insulting, defaming or threatening Thailand’s monarchy – and “Expensive goods from cheap labour”, a dig at the business elites who act as the scaffolding holding in place the monarchy.
Siam Paragon, a tourist favourite with scores of luxury shops, is co-owned by The Mall Group – which is led by one of Thailand’s richest families – and Siam Piwat, a developer with strong royal ties.
Police from the nearby Pathumwan district on Friday said they had opened an investigation into the incident after a complaint was lodged by the mall.
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Thai protesters direct anger against police after violent clash near parliament
A little known group of young activists called “Democratic Front for Hope” claimed responsibility for the action, saying they were bringing the spirit of #Santanarchist – a hybrid hashtag – to the high-end mall. “His gift to the people is the truth about these capitalists, who get these fat pay cheques every month while exploiting cheap labour,” said Sunny, a 19-year-old member of the group.