Protesters rally during Apec week, demand Prayut dissolve Parliament
Protesters have made three demands to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the government at a demonstration aimed at drawing international attention during the Apec Summit this week.
The Rassadorn Yoot Apec2022 (People stop Apec2022) group gathered at Lan Kon Muang square outside City Hall on Wednesday in a bid to publicise the main problems in each region and the government’s “unrighteous” attitude.
Leader Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon said the protest aimed to criticise the government under Prayut and the Bio-Circular Green (BCG) economy model policy as this is being pushed through without getting any opinions from the public.
She mentioned three demands to Prayut:
1. Cancel the BCG policy and related regulations as the “public’s opinion wasn’t taken into account and the policy affects the country’s resources”;
2. Suspend his role as host of the Apec Summit as he lacks any “righteous right to sign agreements with Apec leaders”;
3. Dissolve Parliament, while the Constitutional Court must pass organic bills on the election and the Office of the Election Commission must be clear on the calculation process for MPs and electoral districts. A new election must also pave the way for the drafting of a new constitution to respond to people’s demands.
The group’s three-day protest will be different each day to publicise and communicate their demands during the Apec summit.
Patsaravalee also mentioned that protesters might move from the current venue, as she wants the group to voice its demands as close to the summit venue as possible.
She also said the group would like foreigners to know that it is strong in its fight against the government and a variety of problems.
Patsaravalee however admitted that she was concerned about moving the protest, but it would finally depend on the situation and summit security.
She said people have a right to demonstrate anywhere and the government must listen to them.
If there is any violence, she added, it would be because of government officials, so they should think carefully before stopping the protest as it was in line with democracy and it would form a basis on how the globe views the country and the situation.
As for the protesters camping out overnight, she said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration did not allow them to do so, so she tried to negotiate with officials as “some protesters came from other provinces and their numbers were increasing”.
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