BANGKOK, Oct 16 — From shops, offices and schools they spilled onto a Bangkok street in their tens of thousands, voicing shock and anger and above all defiance. Thailand's government had announced emergency measures to ban gatherings of five or more people to try to end three months of protests....
Pro-democracy protesters gather demanding the government resign and release detained leaders in Bangkok, Thailand October 15, 2020. — Reuters pic
“I'm not afraid. Emergency or not, I have no freedom,” said 26-year-old illustrator Thanatpohn Dejkunchorn, who left work early to attend the protest with friends. “I want freedom to exist in this country. I want it to be free from this vicious cycle.” Police said they would arrest all protesters, though they did not explain how they would charge tens of thousands of people.Until Wednesday, the government had largely allowed demonstrations to happen, while making no sign of meeting protesters' demands.
The government then launched a crackdown, sweeping away a camp set up outside Prayuth's office and arresting three protest leaders — among around 40 arrests in the past week.“It's obvious that the state wants to exercise excessive and unnecessary power on people,” said 22-year-old student Pattanun Arunpreechawat, who joined yesterday's protest after studies.
But the Ratchaprasong Intersection also has a historic resonance for protesters. In 2010, it was the scene of bloodshed as security forces cracked down on Red Shirts who battled pro-establishment Yellow Shirts during a decade of turmoil.
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