In a countrywide movement, protesters battle the military-backed government seeking fresh elections, a new Constitution that protects their rights, and a radical reform of the monarchy.
Why Thailand? Why such protest? Why Monarchy?
A Glance in Tranquility wins
The Young Voices
The protestors are students and young people, and there is no overall leader. Key groups include the Free Youth Movement, which was behind the first major protest and the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, a student group from Bangkok’s Thammasat University, which has championed calls for monarchy reform. Then there is the Bad Student movement of highschoolers, which also seeks education reform. The Monarchy
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X, is the 10th monarch in the Chakri dynasty, which dates back to 1782. He was a student at The King's School in Parramatta and at Duntroon, the Australian Army's officer training college, from 1972 until 1975. Married four times and with seven children, Vajiralongkorn’s reputation as a playboy dates back to when he was a young man. The Criminal Code
Article 112 of the country’s criminal code says anyone who “defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir-apparent or the regent” can be punished with a jail term of between three and 15 years. The law has been used to quell almost all criticism of the royal family. Most of the protest leaders arrested in this law. The Demand
On August 10, the protesters made 10 demands for reforming the monarchy. These included the abolition of the lese-majeste law, cuts to the king’s budget, a clear delineation between crown property and the king’s personal wealth, and a requirement for the king to be accountable to Parliament as stipulated in the post-revolution constitution of 1932. No such requirement exists under the latest constitution, and royal decrees circumvent Parliament.
The Protest Symbols
The 3 finger salute, now adopted by Thai protesters as their “go to” symbol in the current round of rally’s and protests against the Thai government and establishment, emerged originally from pop culture. Young activists in Thailand have regularly used humor and creativity, said Tracy Beattie, a researcher at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute who specializes in Thai politics. Yellow inflatable rubber ducks have become a new symbol for the pro-democracy movement, not just because they are cute but also because they highlight the sheer absurdity and disproportionality of the situation. Are they ready to reach the peak of global attention?
