Why are there protests against Thailand’s king?

[phuketrichard]

good read if your not up on why they are protesting and who the new K is and why he does not get the same reverence his father did.



Thailand's king has been subject to international scrutiny since his days at school in Australia. Why are there protests against the monarchy now? Why are they so unusual?

With a new king, criticisms long whispered are spilling into the open. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s lavish lifestyle, mostly enjoyed in Germany, colourful personal history and volatile reputation have made him a figure of fear in some quarters and ridicule in others.

Protests across many provinces in 2020, defying emergency decrees in the middle of a pandemic, made oblique references to the monarchy and its power. In August, the criticism became explicit, with a series of protests taking aim not only at the structure of the monarchy and its influence in politics and military affairs but at the king personally.

What does Harry Potter have to do with the protests?

Because of the strict laws, criticism and gossip about the royal family has often been passed in code. Satire and the use of pop-culture references are popular, particularly online where cartoons and memes are shared widely.
On August 3, a Harry Potter-themed protest likened Vajiralongkorn to the Harry Potter villain Voldemort (He Who Must Not Be Named).

https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/wh ... v_aWMOlxGY

[Clutch Cargo]

A pet poodle (aka Foo Foo) did not deserve to be an Air Chief Marshall..

[Alex]

A pet poodle (aka Foo Foo) did not deserve to be an Air Chief Marshall..

Looking at real (human) Thai generals, I'm not so sure if the poodle was any more unfit in comparison. At least the poodle was less corrupt than the lot of them, happy with just a treat every now and then.

[yong]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Turbul ... 6&si=44594

Thailand to extend virus emergency decree as protests swell
Activist human rights lawyer arrested on sedition charges


Students use their mobile phones as flashlights to show support for pro-democracy protests in Bangkok on Aug. 19. © Reuters
MARIMI KISHIMOTO and YOHEI MURAMATSU, Nikkei staff writersAugust 20, 2020 02:41 JST

BANGKOK -- The Thai government indicated Wednesday it will extend its state of emergency through September in response to the country's first locally transmitted coronavirus case in nearly three months, fueling speculation that it seeks to clamp down on spreading protests.

This would mark the fifth extension of the decree, which has been in place since late March and is now set to last until the end of August. The cabinet will officially approve the move within the next few days.

The apparent first case of community transmission in 86 days was a woman who returned from Dubai in June and traveled to her hometown in northeastern Thailand after a 14-day quarantine. She tested positive in Bangkok on Tuesday before a planned trip abroad for work.

The decision comes against the backdrop of the massive student-led demonstrations of recent months. A gathering Sunday at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok drew between 20,000 and 30,000 people, according to organizers, which would make it one of the largest anti-government protests since the 2014 coup that brought Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha into power.

Some observers suspect that Prayuth's government looks to use the extended state of emergency to crack down on political gatherings. Somsak Rungsita, secretary-general of the National Security Council, denied in a Wednesday news conference that this is the case.
Anon Nampa, one of the leaders of recent anti-government protests, is detained by a police outside the criminal court in Bangkok on Aug. 19. © Reuters

Also on Wednesday, Anon Nampa, a human rights lawyer who has played a leading role in the protests, was arrested on sedition charges, Reuters reported.

Anon was previously arrested Aug. 7 over an Aug. 3 protest, but was released on bail the following day. He continued to participate in anti-government demonstrations, calling for Prayuth's cabinet to resign and parliament to be dissolved.

Anon also urged reform of Thailand's powerful monarchy -- a taboo in a country with strict lese-majeste laws.

The previous arrest sparked outrage among Anon's supporters, and Wednesday's could bring more protesters into the ranks.

[phuketrichard]

The National Security Council has officially approved the fourth extension of the national state of emergency, for another month, as a revision of the Communicable Diseases Act is yet to be completed, but the NSC confirmed it will not enforce the Emergency Decree on political rallies. NSC secretary-general Somsak Rungsita said today that the state of emergency will be effective until the end of September.

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/nsc- ... -september
FYI
4th not 5th extension

[yong]

[Cowshed Cowboy]

It was good to see more and more white ribbons being worn by youngsters in Bangkok the last few days. I've not seen such a generational divide in a country between the old establishment have's and the young future have'nots being lectured and ruled over what they can say and do.

Truly a dictatorship so out of touch with ordinary people. Look at the demographic of the new Thai cabinet, it's unbelievable.

[lagrange]

Monarchy....obsolete concept or modern day obscenity.....people who "love " a royal family they will never meet are as deluded as natives who venerate trees. We shake our heads at the North Koreans who are brainwashed from birth to "love" their dear leader, yet accept the same situation in other countries without a thought. The French had the best solution to the whole ridiculous set-up.

[Yerg]

Monarchy....obsolete concept or modern day obscenity.....people who "love " a royal family they will never meet are as deluded as natives who venerate trees. We shake our heads at the North Koreans who are brainwashed from birth to "love" their dear leader, yet accept the same situation in other countries without a thought. The French had the best solution to the whole ridiculous set-up.

Yes, but comparing KJU and a monarchy is not really the same thing, is it? One is a despotic nutter and the other isn’t. I certainly don’t see royal families (generally today) as oppressive dictators. That was a terrible comparison.

[lagrange]

Monarchy....obsolete concept or modern day obscenity.....people who "love " a royal family they will never meet are as deluded as natives who venerate trees. We shake our heads at the North Koreans who are brainwashed from birth to "love" their dear leader, yet accept the same situation in other countries without a thought. The French had the best solution to the whole ridiculous set-up.

Yes, but comparing KJU and a monarchy is not really the same thing, is it? One is a despotic nutter and the other isn’t. I certainly don’t see royal families (generally today) as oppressive dictators. That was a terrible comparison.

Quite correct, most of the inbred types sitting in unearned wealth are fairly harmless. My point was the brainwashing....when I hear poms talk about how much they love the Queen I think, why? Because they have been told to from birth. And actually that makes the comparison valid, if you stopped for a moment to think about it.