Photo of Bangkok's Democracy Monument

A small group of Thai Royalists held a rally in response to the largest anti-government demonstration since Thailand imposed a state of emergency to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

The rally, which was held on Thursday, was mainly attended by mainly senior citizens with a few college-aged students. They were acting in response to a set of protests led by the student movement known as Liberation Youth Group, who had organised a series of anti-government protests in recent weeks.

The Guardian reports, that the student protests were attended by over 2,000 and were the largest since the government-imposed lockdown restrictions in March. In terms of size, the Royalist rally, which was organised by a group known as “The Vocational School Students protecting the Nation”, was only attended by 75 demonstrators. Most of these were senior citizens with a few college-aged students.

Anti-government protests

The Liberation Youth Group converged on Bangkok’s iconic Democracy Monument to protest the government’s repressive laws and to call for a new constitution and new elections.

The protests were sparked in February, in response to a court ruling which dissolved of a popular opposition political party, which hard large youth support. Demonstrators argue that the Future Forward was targeted for its popularity and for being critical of the government and the military.

They further allege that lockdown measures have been used as a political weapon to silence critics. During the protest, police set up loudspeakers from which they announced the text of the emergency law. In effect warning that they considered the protests illegal.

Abductions

In June the political atmosphere worsened as a prominent self-exiled Thai political activist was abducted by unknown men in the in neighbouring Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The Guardian notes that he has not been seen since.

They further report that in recent years several other Thai dissidents in Laos have also been kidnapped, only for bodies of three to be found later floating in the Mekong River.

Royalists rally

The Royalist rally was similarly held in Bangkok’s Democracy Monument. Demonstraters gathered to show support for the monarchy and the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the royalist former army chief who ousted an elected administration six years ago.

Chan-ocha retained the Prime Minister’s post in 2019 after an election that was widely considered as free but not fair. The Guardian reports that under his “deeply conservative leadership, the military and the royalist elite have consolidated their power, increasingly angering more progressive elements in Thai society”.

Royalist protesters were seen chanting, “long live the king” and singing songs associated with past nationalist movements, calling for the protection of the monarchy.

Todaspol Manujaras, a representative of the organizing group stated;

“We cannot accept those who violate our monarchy, the institution that should be with us forever.”

Read more from The Star, Morning Star, and Reuters.