Thailand protests: Bangkok shuts down transport as demonstrators remain defiant
- Transport came to a standstill in Bangkok as the Thai capital faced a third straight day of sustained anti-government protests
- The demonstrators have borrowed heavily from the Hong Kong protest playbook, keeping their movements fluid and pushing back riot police with umbrellas
Transport was paralysed across central Bangkok on Saturday as thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators gathered for a third straight day in defiance of emergency laws after a chaotic Friday night that saw riot police use water cannons on protesters in the Thai capital.
Bangkok’s BTS overground train system and metro were closed throughout the city as protesters massed at multiple locations, blocking several intersections to stretch the police.
“Everyone is a leader today,” said Moss, 23, referring to Saturday’s leaderless rallies after dozens of prominent organisers were arrested this week.
“We’re trying to stretch the police force by holding rallies in a number of key Bangkok junctions,” he added.
There were demonstrations in at least six cities outside Bangkok too. Police did not intervene, and the participants dispersed after several hours.
The Thai military has assured that protesters take on the monarchy
Protests have been largely peaceful with minor scuffles between riot police and frontline demonstrators.
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Thousands defy gathering ban to attend pro-democracy protest in Thailand
But the young protesters say they are not giving up.
Several protest leaders who were arrested on Friday have been bailed on Saturday.
“I condemn whoever was behind the order to disperse the crowd, you are a tyrant,” said Tattep “Ford” Ruangprapaikitseree, 23, leader of the main protest group Free People.
“I stand with all of you who will continue to come out to fight for democracy,” he told reporters after posting bail on Saturday morning.
Rights groups have warned of the dangers ahead with security services operating with emergency powers.
“By sending in the police to violently disperse peaceful protesters, Thailand’s government is embarking on a wider crackdown to end the students’ protests,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
The decree gives police “the green light to commit rights abuses with impunity,” he added.
Hong Kong playbook
The black-clad protesters have in recent days started to wear hard hats, goggles and gas masks, with a run on hardware stores reported across Bangkok.
A post on “How to go to mob like Hongkongers” was widely circulated on Thai Twitter with a guide on what to bring and wear for young demonstrators who see an affinity in their fight to bring down the Thai establishment and Hong Kong’s pro-democracy struggles against Beijing.
“I brought saline water to clean my eyes in case we’re getting sprayed by water cannon like last night,” said Eve, 27.
By responding with force, Prayuth’s government is narrowing the potential for a peaceful outcome to the crisis.
In a fluid situation in a country which stumbles through rounds of coups, violent crackdowns and protests, experts say there are several scenarios ahead and none of which end well for the kingdom’s pro-democracy cause.
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The first and “most likely … is Prayuth sticks it out while more violently intimidating the demonstrators,” said Paul Chambers, a lecturer and special adviser in international affairs at Thailand’s Naresuan University.
Another is the premier resigns and hands power to someone else in his conservative coalition government, which could promise constitutional reforms down the track.
A third option is “the military takes power with either Prayuth continuing as a weak premier while the army commander holds real power or another PM becomes the face of a new junta,” Chambers added.
