In Thailand protestors, have occupied the streets in Bangkok against the ruling elite. The Thai government has declared a state of emergency to deal with the ongoing protests in Bangkok. Large gatherings have been banned in the country.
A televised statement from police said, “Many groups of people have invited, provoked and held illegal public gatherings in Bangkok.”
“These measures were necessary to maintain law and order in the country,” the statement said.
In Thailand protests, people have demanded the removal of the Thai king and the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The government declared a state of emergency early on Thursday morning, aimed at protesters who have demanded the removal of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and called for reform of the monarchy. #BangkokPost #World https://t.co/OMPSyoDGfh
— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) October 15, 2020
Three Finger salute
A statement on state television said the protesters had “created an atmosphere of unrest and chaos” in the country. The statement said the state of emergency had been imposed because of the obstruction in Royal convoy by the protesters on Wednesday.
Police said the protesters who block the route of the royal motorcade and saluted with three fingers, while Queen was travelling in this convoy, had been pushed back.
In Thailand protests, a three-fingered salute from protesters has become a symbol of the protest movement.
State of Emergency
According to the government announcement, the state of emergency has been declared in the country on Thursday at 4 o’clock local time.
The emergency order bans the gathering of more than four people, as well as the media, is prohibited for the publication of any news that contains material that creates excitement, or deliberately distorts information and creates misunderstandings that affect national security or peace.
According to Reuters news agency, the order also authorizes police to block people from entering “any specific area”.
Students led the protest movement
The student-led protest movement, which began in July this year, has become the biggest challenge for Thailand’s ruling establishment.
The weekend protests in the capital, Bangkok, were the largest in years, with thousands calling for change.
Authorities say 18,000 people took part in Saturday’s protest, with other media outlets reporting much higher. Hundreds of them also protested on Sunday.
The latest situation in Bangkok
After the issuance of emergency orders Police dispersed protestors outside the Prime Minister’s office. According to the Reuters news agency, some protesters tried to resist but were pushed back by the police.
Hundreds of police officers to disperse the protesters are seen on city streets.
Human rights lawyers say three protest leaders have been arrested, but police have not made any official statement.
Why are there protests in the country?
Thailand has a long history of political unrest and protests, but a new wave began in February when a court ordered the dissolution of a newly elected pro-democracy opposition party.
The political party Future Forward Party (FFP) is very popular among the youth of the country and it won the third-largest share of parliamentary seats in the March 2019 elections.
The protests were revived in June when prominent pro-democracy activist Wanchalearm Satsksit went missing in Cambodia, where he had been in exile since the 2014 military coup. There have been no reports of him being abducted, but protesters accusing the Thai state of kidnapping him. Police and the government have denied the allegations.
There have been regular student-led street protests here since July.
Protesters are demanding the dissolution of the government of former army chief Prime Minister Prayut, who seized power after the military coup, rewriting the country’s constitution and for government officials to stop harassing critics.