“The country belongs to the people, not the King”, Thousands Protest Monarchy’s Power in Thailand

Over the weekend, thousands of Thai protesters marched near the official residence of the king to hand-deliver a letter that demands the monarchy’s power and budgets to be curbed.

The student-led protest also urged Thai people to continue to wear white ribbons, a symbol of the pro-democracy movement and to show a three-finger salute, an act of defiance borrowed from the Hunger Games.

According to The Guardian, the Thai royal family is shielded from criticism by a strict lèse majesté law that carries a sentence of up to 15 years.

What do the protesters want?

The protest mainly focused on the overbearing monarchy and the culture of fear it has cultivated among the people of Thailand. Arnon Nampa, a human-rights lawyer who was charged with sedition last month, told that they were ruled by fear.

Other issues that were addressed includes:

• Military’s monopoly of power
• LGBTQ discrimination
• Social welfare
• Women’s rights
• Covid-19’s impact on the economy

Due to lockdown restrictions imposed in the country, the protest was technically illegal however this didn’t stop the protesters who made sure to wear masks and volunteers even offered squirts of hand sanitizer, reported The New York Times.

A democratic symbol plaque that was installed by the protesters read that the country belonged to the people and not to the king, Unfortunately, less than one day since its installation, the plaque has been reported missing.

“Here, the people have expressed their determination: that this country belongs to the people and not to the monarchy as they have deceived us.”

The protests ended on Sunday morning when the student leader submitted a petition to the police.

This protest has definitely sparked a fire in everyone across the globe. What do you think of this powerful movement? Let us know in the comments section!

Also read: Musang King Durian Farmers Are Chopping Down Trees To Protest Land Takeover By Authorities