Thailand

Thailand tightens security in capital ahead of demonstrations

Reuters

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Thailand tightens security in capital ahead of demonstrations

Police officers stand in front of containers blocking a road near the Grand Palace ahead of the anti-government protest, demanding resolutions of the government and reforms in the monarchy, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 20, 2021.

REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

Police with riot shields are seen moving into the area.

Thai authorities on Saturday, March 20, lined up shipping containers and barbed wire as barriers in Bangkok’s old quarter near the Grand Palace ahead of a planned anti-government demonstration.

“We have prepared officers to maintain order,” police deputy spokesman Kissana Pattanacharoen told reporters, but declined to say how many officers were deployed.

Public gatherings violated laws to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus, he said.

Police with riot shields were seen moving into the area.

The rally comes after parliament this week failed to pass a bill to rewrite the military-backed constitution, one of the protesters’ main demands.

Police officers gather ahead of the anti-government protest, demanding resolutions of the government and reforms in the monarchy, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 20, 2021.
REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

A mass trial for protest leaders began this week against activists who were accused of sedition and insulting the monarchy.

Activists on Saturday flew kites spray-painted with images of jailed protest leaders to call for their release.

Thailand’s youth protest movement has posed the biggest challenge so far to Prime Minster Prayuth Chan-ocha. Protesters say he engineered a process that would preserve the political status quo and keep him in power after a 2019 election. Prayuth has rejected that.

Protesters also broke a traditional taboo by demanding reform of the monarchy, saying the constitution drafted by the military after the 2014 coup gives the king too much power. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!