Updates on the situations during 22 October –7 November 2020: Demonstrations post the lifting of State of Emergency and the release of protesters

In the wake of the lifting of serious emergency situation in Bangkok and attempts to explore solutions by the General Prayut Chan-O-cha government by having the special parliamentary session from 26-27 October 2020 to review recommendations from the parliament, it has failed to ease the onslaught demonstrations put out by school and university students and members of the public as not a single demand of theirs has not been met by the government. Meanwhile, the protest leaders constantly face detention and prosecution triggering the outpouring of assemblies, day in day out and around the country. The nature of the protests around Thailand are now considered as leaderless. From 22 October –7 November 2020, at least 22 public assemblies took place in Bangkok and at least 50 in the province. 

The demands: Adhering to the three demands and the release of the protest leaders 

The public assemblies in Bangkok and the province during the period continue to hinge on the three demands including (1) the ouster of General Prayut  and his cabinet, (2) a new Constitution with no interference from the elite including the military generals or the monarchy, and (3) a monarchical reform with the King under the Constitution. The demand on monarchical reform has triggered two major gatherings including on 26 October when the demonstrators marched toward the German Embassy to demand an inquiry into an alleged exercise of prerogative by the Thai King while residing in Germany and during 30 – 31 October 2020, the activity to dissuade graduates from participating in the commencement ceremony at Thammasat University. On the other side, on 26 October led by Nitithon Lamlua, former attorney of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), a royalist group has submitted a letter of petition to the German government urging them to listen to and review information from all sides to prevent the spread of disinformation which may eventually cause damage to Thailand.  

In addition, public assemblies have been held to demand the release of the demonstrators who have been put behind bards including the #SleepingInCampNotPrison #FightersNotInamtes including the gathering of around 300-400 students and members of the public at the entrance of the Bangkok Remand Prison or another activity by the fences of the Bangkok Criminal Court by the group called “Dee Jung Young Team”, who are friends of Suranat “Tun” Panprasert who was remanded after being charged for committing an act of violence against the Queen, a violation of the Penal Code’s Section  110. As a string of public assemblies took place, the remanded protesters were gradually released from the prisons. On 3 November 2020, the Corrections Department has discharged the last four protesters.  

The public assemblies also involve other demands. For example, on 29 October 2020, a gathering took place on the opposite side of The Nation’s office and the demonstrators demanded that the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association (Thaibja) intervene to review news released by The Nation. On the same day, Chulalongkorn University students organized a public assembly #TheShatteredStateThatWeShallNotForget at Skywalk, Pathumwan intersection to demonstrate the violence inflicted by the state against the public in the past including the crackdown of the demonstration in Tak Bai District, the dispersal of the demonstration by the Red Shirt protesters in May 2010 and the dispersal of the public assembly by the Khana Ratsadon on 16 October 2020 at Pathumwan intersection. 

Harassment and attempts to stifle 

1. Barred from criticizing the monarchy 

Even though public assemblies led by school and university students and members of the public throughout the country coalesce on the three demands including monarchical reform, but in certain areas, the demonstrators were told by the police to refrain from addressing or expressing any symbol about the monarchy. For example, on 24 October 2020 in Udonthani, the Udonthani Khana Ratsadon organized a mock cremation of Prayut Chan-O-cha[1]. One day prior, the organizers has already notified the police about their intention to hold a public assembly, but they were told they were allowed to organize it on the condition that they must not speak about or show any sign about the monarchy. If they agreed to this, the police promised to help facilitate their demonstration. On the demonstration day, the police even asked the organizers to sign an extra document about the public assembly which states that both the organizers and the participants shall refrain from mentioning the monarchy or insulting the monarchy. No signs or flags of the same message were allowed.  

2. Stalked, photographed and videoed by the officers 

The school and university students led demonstrations often face harassment by plain clothes officers who would take still picture and video while they were conducting their activity simply to inflict them with fear and to prevent them from expressing themselves as well as to  turn some people away from such demonstrations. For example, on 27 October 2020 at the Phranakhon Rajabhat University, the students organized a public assembly with around 30 participants[2]. At least three plain clothes officers were there to take photo and video of the whole event. Or on 6 November 2020, the “Chainat Khana Ratsadon”[3]announced the organization of the #WeThePeople demonstration in front of the Chainat Provincial Hall and invited the pro-democracy activists to take photo with a banner bearing the image of the Khana Ratsadon 2020 Plaque. During the event, at least 50 public officers from various agencies led by ten uniform police officers came and observed the event. When the organizers invited the participants to take photo with the banner, a number of officers came around and took photo and video of them. This has scarred the students making them decide against taking the photo and the event had to stop in just 15 minutes.  

3. Putting pressure to change venue 

On 2 November 2020 in Wiang Pa Pao District, Chiang Rai, some local high school students planned to organize the #WiangPaPaoShunningDictators at a market in Mae Khachan[4]. They had already obtained permission from the person in charge of the market to hold a rally there. But on the scheduled day, the police showed to them a record made from the testimony of the owners of the market who stated they did not want this activity to take place in the market. As a result, the students had to move to organize their activity at the crematorium and cemetery of Tambon Mae Chedi. The public assembly was participated by around 100 people and it has been reported that the plain clothes officers have asked for names of the participating students. One day prior, some students who planned to participate in the activity was visited by the police at their homes and offices of their parents. As a result, some of them were prohibited by their parents from joining the activity.  

4. Surveilling activists in Esan prior to the trip by King Rama X 

His Majesty the King Rama X was scheduled to preside in a robe offering ceremony at Wat Nong Pah Pong, Tambon Non Phung, Warin Chamrap District, Ubonratchathani on 27 October 2020. As a result, school and university students and activists who used to organize activities in Ubonratchathani and Amnaj Charoen[5] where put under heavy surveillance by the police, military and administrative officers.  They were stalked, approached and asked not to organize any activity. Some were even held in custody during the couple of days prior to the King’s arrival. In most cases, the officers would visit them at homes and inquired if they planned to organize anything on that day. Mr. Chatchai Kaekampod and the Free Ubon Group have gone there to greet His Majesty, but they were taken away to a coffee shop where they were prevented from going anywhere for over six hours, until His Majesty has left.  

5. ID card check of members of the public on Thammasat’s Commencement Days 

During the Commencement Days of Thammasat University from 30-31 October 2020, His Majesty King Rama X was scheduled to deliver the diplomas to the graduates amidst the outpouring of demand for the monarchical reform and a campaign to persuade the graduates to not participate in the ceremony[6]. The protesters even claimed there would be a “big surprise” during the two days. It has prompted the authorities to beef up security protocol at an unprecedented level. Within Thammasat University and at Tha Prachan, uniform and plain clothes officers were deployed, particularly plain clothes officers from various agencies who mingled themselves with the crowd inside and outside the campus. Several patrol boats were deployed in the Chao Praya River.  

To get inside the campus, one had to go through checkpoints set up at each of the main entrances and had to have their ID cards checked. The cards were inserted into a card reader. Any red flag on the device would result in that person being isolated in another area. That person has to have their picture taken and receive sticker before being let inside. Persons who triggered red flag include for example Jutatip “Aua” Sirikhan, Yingcheep Achanon and another lecturer from the Faculty of Liberal Arts. This could have stemmed from their being part of the pro-democracy movements and their previous exercise of freedom of expression.  

6. Protesters facing a barrage of legal cases 

The protesters continue to face a barrage of legal cases. From  22 October – 7 November 2020, at least 15 of them have been charged, including one related to the public assembly in Ubonratchathani[7], seven from the public assembly in Chiang Mai[8] and seven from the protest at the German Embassy in Bangkok.[9] All of them have been charged similarly for the violation of Penal Code’s Section 116, except Witsarut Sawatworn, an activist from Free Bon who also faced a charge against the Computer Crime Act’s Section 14 as a result of his livestreaming video and speeches via computer system through facebook to the public.  

The seven protesters in Chiang Mai also faced a charge for violating the Emergency Decree’’s Sections 9(2) and 18, the Communicable Diseases Act,  failure to notify of public assembly per the Public Assembly Act and for using sound system without permit, a violation of the Controlling Public Advertisement by Sound Amplifier Act related to the #ChiangMaiCantStandItAnymore assembly[10] at Tha Phae Gate on 9 August 2020. 

Gatherings of Thai Royalists  

The gatherings of the Thai royalists to show their loyalty to the monarchy have taken place in various provinces. Often clad in “yellow shirts”, the participants most conduct peaceful rallies, although a few groups have obviously resorted to the use of violence particularly the incidence on 21 October 2020 during the demonstration at Ramkhahaeng University.[11] There, the Technical College Students for the Nation and alumni from Ramkhahaeng University have organized a public assembly close to where members of the Ramkhahaeng for Democracy Group were gathered. A clash ensued as about 80 yellow shirt protesters tried to push through barricades set up by the police to approach their opponents on the other side. It has caused some injuries as a result. It should be noted that some yellow shirt demonstrators have good connection with some figures in the current administration.[12]In addition, there have been instances that the yellow shirt demonstrators decided to hold their rallies close to those organized by people who demand monarchical reform including the demonstration in front of the German Embassy.  

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