Thousands of people protest in a rally against Thai government

Photo Credits: Al Jazeera

Thousands of people marched in an ‘anti-government’ rally in Bangkok against the Thai government particularly former coup leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Saturday. The crowd strongly urged for reforms in the powerful monarchy system.

One of the louder chants was, “Down with feudalism, long live the people.”

According to the police, around 5,000 people were gathered protesting within the campus of Thammasat University. The protests were emerging since mid-July to remove the ruling government, a new constitution and elections and criticizing the monarchy of King Maha Vajralongkorn.

September 19 is generally designated as the anniversary day of the coup against the 2006 prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The protests so far have been quite peaceful. But, Thai politics has always been marked by challenges to the royalist and military establishment by politicians supported by poor urban and rural protesters and particularly student protesters.

One of the protest leaders said, “We are fighting to put the monarchy in the right place, not to abolish it.”