Three Thai protest leaders re-arrested, one taken up to hospital
31 October, 2020
Thai police carried one of the country's most visible protest leaders apparently unconscious from a van on Friday (Oct 30), as he and two others were re-arrested just as they reached the limit because of their detention.
Panupong "Mike Rayong" Jadnok, 24, Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul, 22 and Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak, 22, were all detained during a crackdown ordered on Oct 15 to attempt to end months of protests against the federal government and calling for reforms of the monarchy.
Video images showed Panupong slumped and being carried from a police van that had brought him from Bangkok Remand Prison to the Pracha Chuen police station before being recinded in an ambulance.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said Panupong had not been in danger but will be kept in hospital overnight. The group said it believed he passed out after being devote a chokehold in the van. Police weren't immediately designed for comment.
An officer had earlier said he previously orders to take them from prison to the authorities station. A legal professional for the three said these were being recinded to be charged again, arguing that it had been unlawful to do so because that they had already pleaded not liable to the same charges.
In chaotic scenes beyond your police station, Parit - who stripped off his shirt - and Panusaya gave an impromptu address to scores of supporters who had gathered there. They challenged the legality of their re-arrest and pledged to keep protesting peacefully.
"The iron bars can imprison the stars however, not the starlight. In my own heart, I still trust the people. The wind of change, the wind of democracy is here in Thailand," he said.
"We will fight the darkness with the starlight. We will fight evil with flowers. And we'll fight guns with white ribbons."
Student leader Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul walks beyond your Prachachuen police station in Bangkok, Thailand, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
Rung, whose long blonde locks were cut and dyed black during her time in prison, was presented with a bouquet of flowers by the crowd.
"The movement must continue. Everybody must recommit to non-violence," Rung said.
"If violence happens, it's not from us. Even though we are getting more frustrated, we must not fall for his or her ploy."
They have denied all charges against them.
The three have already been being among the most vocal in calling for curbs on the energy of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's monarchy during protests that commenced in mid-July. They have been charged with multiple offences from sedition to breaking emergency laws designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
STUDENTS SKIP GRADUATION OVER KING
Among the royal reforms sought will be the abolition of the draconian lese majeste law which shields the family from defamation, a clear accounting of the palace's finances, and for King Maha Vajiralongkorn to remain out of politics.
Such calls are unprecedented in Thailand, where criticism of the royal family is taboo.
Scores of students on Friday boycotted their graduation ceremony at Thammasat University, where in fact the king - who spends a lot of his amount of time in Germany - was handing out degrees.
"Some persons say it's a once in an eternity experience (to meet up the king). I don't want to meet up him. I don't want to pay respect to persons like him," one graduate, a 24-year-old who discovered himself as Jack, told AFP.
"Why do we have to worship him such as a god? I've always asked myself these questions," another graduate, Bowie, told AFP.
An AFP reporter at the scene said the quantity of students present was visibly smaller than in previous years.
Thammasat University includes a reputation for liberal views and was the scene of a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1976.
University officials didn't immediately answer a obtain comment.
The king was expected to attend another graduation ceremony on Saturday, and Prayut issued a warning to students never to come out of line.
Scores of protesters, including several protest leaders, were arrested under emergency measures which were dropped a week ago after they backfired by drawing much bigger protests.
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