Pro-democracy Ratsadon protesters gathered on Bangkok’s Pathumwan Skywalk today for a demonstration dubbed “hitting pots to banish dictators”.
The demonstration echoed nightly protests in Myanmar against the coup in Thailand’s neighbouring country.
The Pathumwan protesters also handed out stickers to passers-by reading “we do not want Article 112”, referring to the lese majeste law. Police have charged dozens of people with lese majeste over their participation in pro-democracy protests in the past few months.
The Criminal Court on Tuesday denied bail to four Ratsadon pro-democracy group leaders – Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Arnon Nampa, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Patiwat “Bank” Saraiyam.
The Office of the Attorney-General had announced earlier on Tuesday that it would file charges against the four for violating Article 112 (lese majeste) of the Criminal Code and for sedition under Article 116 after they participated in an anti-government rally at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus in September last year.
Parit was also charged with participating in the “Mob Fest” rally on Ratchadamnoen Road during November 14-15.
After an interview session with the court, all defendants denied the charges and reportedly said they wished to fight them, leading to the court setting the evidence investigation date for March 15.
The four leaders then proposed collateral for their temporary release, but the court rejected this, citing that the charges and punishment in these cases are serious, while the defendants have repeatedly committed the same offences.
“If released, the court believes the defendants would commit the same offence again,” it said.
Shortly after the court’s decision, Ratsadon took to Facebook, calling on its members and supporters to gather at MBK Skywalk in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district to urge the court to release the four.
At 8pm, Pathumwan police asked the protesters to disperse as the gathering was in violation of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations.
Before the protesters peacefully dispersed, Ratsadon announced it would hold a rally again at the Skywalk from 5pm.
The Office of the Attorney-General announced on Tuesday that it will file charges against four leaders of the Ratsadon pro-democracy movement, namely Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Arnon Nampa, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Patiwat “Bank” Saraiyam.
The four are being charged for defaming the monarch at a rally in Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus in September last year. The rally had also spilled over to Sanam Luang nearby.
The four leaders are being charged for violating the Criminal Code’s Article 112 (lese majeste) and for sedition under the Criminal Code’s Article 116.
Shortly after the announcement was made, Arnon, a well-known human-rights lawyer, said the rally to be held on Wednesday at the MBK Skywalk is not related to the charges they are facing. He said the rally had been planned well beforehand and will address the movement’s activities this year.
Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak and 21 other pro-democracy activists walked into Khlong Luang Police Station in Pathum Thani on Friday to acknowledge charges over their Bangkok protest on January 14 and 15.
Police charged the 22 activists with violating the Communicable Diseases Act by holding a demonstration against the earlier arrest of two student protest leaders.
A crowd of demonstrators turned up to offer moral support to the 22 activists as riot police guarded the station.
Other prominent protesters charged included Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul and Chaiamorn “Ammay” Kaewwiboonpan.
Demonstrators gathered outside the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok’s Sathorn area on Thursday to protest the military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government.
Protesters lit candles and turned on their cellphone torches for a symbolic demonstration dubbed #LightUpMyanmar.
Myanmar’s military snuffed out the country’s decade-long democratic experiment on Monday, claiming fraud in last November’s election that delivered a landslide win for Suu Kyi’s party.
Police stationed outside the embassy gave the protesters just 10 minutes to hold the demonstration before ushering them away.
Three factors led to Monday’s coup in Myanmar when the military seized power from the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi, said a Thai political scientist and government adviser on Tuesday.
Panitan Wattanayagorn, a Chulalongkorn University associate professor who chairs the security advisory committee for PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, also cautioned Thailand would have to tread carefully over the coup d’etat that ended six years of civilian rule in the neighbouring country.
Troubled power transition
Panitan, speaking in a personal capacity, said the first factor that led to the coup was the troubled power transition from military to civilian rule since the return of free elections in 2015.
Although Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) has scored landslide wins in general elections, numerous clashes between politicians and the army reflected Myanmar’s troubled transition from military dictatorship to democracy.
The NLD had governed alongside the military in ministries, in a power-sharing agreement that was not always successful. Tensions between soldiers and politicians, coupled with conflicts within the NLD, burdened public administration and led to economic stagnation, Panitan said.
Suu Kyi tarnished by Rohingya crisis
The second factor behind the putsch was Suu Kyi’s vague stance on the killings of Rohingya in Rakhine state, which drew international condemnation and undermined her status as a human rights icon on the world stage. This likely led to a calculation by the army that staging a coup would not trigger huge international pressure.
NLD’s landslide win
The third factor was last November’s election result, where Suu Kyi’s party was expected to win fewer votes but instead scored a landslide victory.
Around 83 per cent of NLD candidates were elected for super-majorities in both houses, while the army-backed party won just a few seats.
The military alleged widespread electoral fraud and then used this as an excuse to seize power.
Myanmar’s election commission admitted there had been irregularities concerning different minorities and lists of voter names. Pressured by the military pressure to create new lists, the electoral commission refused to do so.
The military then called for Monday’s reopening of parliament to be postponed, but the NLD dismissed the request. Negotiations between the military and NLD failed, after which Suu Kyi and senior officials across the country were detained by troops.
Response by world powers
The international community is clearly not supporting Suu Kyi as strongly as it once did, but this situation may change, said Panitan. US President Joe Biden has stated that measures will be taken in response to the coup. The situation in Myanmar presents a big challenge to US attempts to counter China’s influence in the region, especially if Myanmar returns to military dictatorship, he added.
The US would likely seek allies for its response to the coup. It may take one or two days to lobby different countries, before releasing a joint statement with the European Union and US allies in Asia, including Australia.
At the same time, Myanmar’s military would have to move carefully, as seen in the vagueness of its initial announcement. The military apparently tried to ease international pressure by promising to hold a new election within one year.
Impact on Thailand
Thailand may need to prepare extra border controls in case Myanmar civilians flee the country.
Meanwhile the Asean community must assess the situation, Panitan said.
However, the regional bloc was unlikely to make any strong moves or express clear opposition to the coup since it had a policy of non-interference in members’ internal affairs.
As for Thailand, it should retain a neutral and balanced approach, while convincing all parties to talk to each other and find a peaceful resolution, he added.
Myanmar ‘won’t close country again’
Another issue worrying many countries was a possible return to Myanmar’s pre-democracy era as a fully military-controlled state. However, closing off the country again would trigger pressure from civilians following the transition to a democratic system in 2010. Instead, the military could focus on economic recovery to win support from the public, which would allow the army to play a bigger role.
Myanmar would find it difficult to return to a closed society where political opinions are suppressed. However, since becoming an open democracy, the country has not been run very successfully, said Panitan. It was therefore possible that Myanmar may take a step back to consider its development without closing the country.
However, the rise of the liberal idea among Myanmar’s younger generation – who see the open system in many countries, including Thailand – would pressure Myanmar against sliding back to its era of junta rule, he added
Riot police clashed with protesters outside the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok on Monday, as activists demonstrated against the coup in Myanmar.
Police armed with shields and batons attempted to clear the rally on North Sathorn Road at 5pm, claiming protesters had stayed beyond the agreed timeframe of 30 minutes. Protesters led by We Volunteer (WeVo) pro-democracy activists had gathered at 3.30pm to condemn the military takeover and call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other Myanmar government leaders.
Some members of the crowd threw stones at police as they were driven away from the rally site. The sound of an explosion was also heard behind police lines, though the cause was not immediately known. At least three policemen were reported injured in the clashes and taken to hospital. The protest site was cleared at 5.40pm but police closed off the route from the embassy to Sathorn-Narathiwat Intersection.
During the protest, WeVo read out a statement in Burmese, English and Thai, opposing the coup and showing solidarity with Myanmar people who suddenly find themselves under military rule once again.
Student activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak joined the protest, stating that he opposed any dictatorship and supported the principle of democratic rule.
Move Forward co-leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit arrived at the protest around 4.40pm and called on the Thai government to play the lead role in bringing back peace and democracy for Burmese people.
A large number of protesters, led by the “We Volunteers” network, showed up at the Myanmar Embassy on Sathorn Road at 3.30pm on Monday to condemn the military-led coup.
Among the protesters were Myanmar nationals who held up images of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
She and other leaders of her National League for Democracy Party were detained early on Monday when the Myanmar military ousted the country’s elected government.
The protest took a serious turn when a smoke bomb was thrown at police protecting the premises.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told the press that it was pro-democracy protesters’ business if they want to rally outside the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok.
On Monday morning, the “We Volunteer” network launched a Facebook campaign calling on supporters to join their rally at the embassy from 3.30pm in a move to slam the coup.
Prawit also said he does not believe the rally will affect bilateral relations, adding that the coup was Myanmar’s internal matter and was not related to Thailand.
Meanwhile, the embassy announced it was closed and police officers have been stationed around the premises.
The “We Volunteer” network (WeVo) launched a Facebook campaign on Monday calling on supporters to join their rally outside the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok’s Bang Rak district at 3.30pm.
The Washington Post reported that Myanmar’s military took control of the country on Monday and declared a state of emergency for the entire year, hours after detaining civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of her ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) in a predawn operation.
“We, as Asean citizens, cannot accept a government that resulted from a coup d’etat and condemn them,” the WeVo network said.
The pro-democracy Free Youth group also posted a Facebook message calling on Myanmar’s military to cancel the coup d’etat.
The group said that despite living in a fertile region, people have been left to starve and gagged from demanding a better future.
“The Free Youth demands that the coup that will put Myanmar under a dictatorship again must end immediately,” the group said as it launched a clarion call for democracy in Southeast Asia.
Ming Yu Hah, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for campaigns, said the arrest of Suu Kyi, senior NLD officials and other political figures was very alarming. Unless those detained can be charged with a recognisable criminal offence under international law, they must be immediately released.
“The Myanmar military must clarify on what legal basis they have been detained. They must also guarantee that the rights of those arrested are fully respected, including against ill-treatment, and that they have access to lawyers of their own choice and to their family. They must confirm their whereabouts and grant them access to medical care,” she said.
“This is an ominous moment for people in Myanmar and threatens a severe worsening of military repression and impunity. The concurrent arrest of prominent political activists and human rights defenders sends a chilling message that military authorities will not tolerate any dissent amid today’s unfolding events.”
She said previous military coups and crackdowns in Myanmar have seen large-scale violence and extrajudicial killings by security forces.
“We urge the armed forces to exercise restraint, abide by international human rights and humanitarian law and for law enforcement duties to be fully resumed by the police force at the earliest opportunity,” she said.
She added that reports of a telecommunications blackout pose a further threat to the population at such a volatile time – especially as Myanmar battles a pandemic, and an internal conflict against armed groups puts civilians at risk in several parts of the country.
“It is vital that full phone and internet services be resumed immediately,” she added.
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