INSIGHT- Like water eroding rocks : Thai protesters prepare for long fight Reuters 12/24/2020
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Chayut Setboonsarng and Matthew Tostevin
BANGKOK, Dec 24 (Reuters) - As they paraded through a Bangkok shopping mall in crop tops to mock Thailand s king, protesters made an incongruous sight among the festive decorations.
They brought stares, smiles and some muted cheers, but the few dozen activists were far short of the tens of thousands who joined earlier anti-government protests that broke the taboo on criticising King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
After months of street demonstrations that have shaken Thailand s establishment, the best-known figures of a movement that drew tactics and inspiration from protests in Hong Kong told Reuters they are at a critical juncture.
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Patiwat Saraiyaem also heard his charge.
It is feared that the charge of lese-majesty (as well as that of endangering national security) will be used against a growing number of demonstrators.
Prepare for the possibility of a putsch
The possibility of a coup d’état is on everyone’s mind. The mobilization of far-right paramilitary and ultra-royalist groups is a very worrying sign. Violence against demonstrators turned a corner during the days of 17-18 November which left at least 55 wounded (including 6 by bullets). [3] On 25 November again, the rally was marked by incidents: shots were fired into the crowd by unidentified attackers, causing two minor injuries at the time of the dispersal. The means deployed by the forces of repression are more and more extensive. In response, the pro-democracy movement shows its commitment to non-violent initiatives and turns derision into a political weapon, under the protection of inflatable yellow ducks (yellow is the colour of the monarc