Thai security officials arrested prominent student protest leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak on Friday, multiple sources told Thai Enquirer.
Parit has been one of the most recognizable leaders of the recent student protest movement and has made speeches questioning the rule of Prayut Chan-ocha as well as touching upon Thailand’s conservative institutions and their interference into the political situation.
He had posted on social media earlier in the week that he was being followed by plainclothes security officers and that his arrest was likely imminent.
Rights activists, as well as friends of Parit who were at the scene, told Thai Enquirer that Parit was arrested in Bangkok on Friday afternoon by multiple out-of-uniform men who identified themselves as police.
It is unclear where the men have taken Parit.
Student-led protests have gripped the country over the past two months with students calling for a rewrite of the military-drafted constitution, the dissolution of parliament, and the end to the harassment of activists by the state.
As the rallies continue, many speakers are beginning to touch upon the role of the Thai monarchy in politics.
On Thursday, a royalist citizens filed lese-majeste charges against Parit, accusing him of insulting the monarch and bringing the institution into disrepute.
Parit told Thai Enquirer that the new lese-majeste charges show that the law was being abused to serve a political agenda.
“It shows that the institution is being used as a political weapon to extend the rule of this regime,” he said by phone.
Parit’s arrest comes after the government detained a human rights lawyer and another student protest leader and charged them with sedition and illegal assembly.
Parit’s abduction by plainclothes officer also raised concern among student groups that the state was beginning to disappear activists and anti-government voices.
Calls to the metropolitan police were unanswered.
16.25 Pharit 'Penguin' Chiwarak, a student activist is under arrest as he is planning to give a speech at a demonstration at Tha Nam Non, Nonthaburi.
— Prachatai English (@prachatai_en) August 14, 2020
The police is bringing him to the Samranrat Police station.#ให้มันจบที่รุ่นเรา #หยุดคุกคามประชาชน pic.twitter.com/Eg0myX1qRH
