Thai protesters decry govt before no-confidence vote against PM
20 February, 2021
Hundreds gathered outside of parliament found in Bangkok late on Fri (Feb 19), holding a demonstration that coincided with the censure debate against the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha by opposition lawmakers inside building.
Thousands of police officers were on standby before an expected parliamentary vote on Saturday, found in anticipation of another protest.
The censure debate commenced on Tuesday, led by an opposition that has said a 2019 election was engineered to make certain that Prayut remained in power five years after overthrowing an elected government. Prayut's administration says the vote was free of charge and fair.
The activists took turns speaking on a makeshift stage on the highway leading to parliament, criticising the primary minister and his Cabinet for abuse of power, mismanagement and policy failures in a variety of areas.
"We know that it'll be difficult to avoid this government interior parliament," Sukriffee Lateh, a student activist, told Reuters.
"So our movement outdoors will help the general public better understand the real problems that ordinary persons face from this government," he said.
The protest is portion of the youth-led activity that emerged this past year to demand the resignation of one-time coup leader Prayut, and in addition broke long-standing taboos by calling for reform of the powerful monarchy that activists say helps enable establishment rule. The palace hasn't commented.
Some water cannon trucks were spotted in close proximity to parliament previous, which raised the prospect of renewed clashes between protesters and police.
The authorities say all protests in Bangkok are unlawful, citing the ban on public gatherings since another wave of COVID-19 infections started out in December.
"We will not permit the demonstrators to enter the area before parliament," Police Major General Piya Tavichai, deputy commissioner of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau, told Reuters before.
Piya said the authorities had deployed 900 officers around parliament and place 11,850 officers on standby for the weekend.
"We will not use all (the forces) but we've the force to be called upon when important," he said.
Last week, police clashed with protesters demanding the release of four activists jailed pending trial on the subject of charges that they insulted the monarchy, a crime on Thailand punishable by up to 15 years on prison.
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