Sunday’s protest was the largest public demonstration since the military took power in May 2014, so it is quite safe to say that dissatisfaction towards the government is real and the protest can no longer be ignored.
Witnessing the second round of protests rebuild itself after protests were put on hold due to Covid-19 lockdown measures, the demonstrators have taken a great leap from its initial start in February after the dissolution of the Future Forward Party.
From the very first protests that started after the abduction of Wanchalerm in June to Sunday’s massive rally, it has been surreal to watch the movement grow in such a short amount of time.
And it is interesting to see their demands progress and become more refined over the course of three months from defiance of the State of Emergency to constitutional reform to much wider societal reform.
It is well known that dissatisfaction towards the current government online is vehemently expressed in the internet with people coming up with flamboyant and creative ways to express their grievances. But it was always thought that what is said online will only stay online. That dissent would only be kept in the confines of social media and never manifest into anything.
The keyboard warriors have long had a place in the online space but it has never manifested itself into anything tangible and in the real world.
So the phenomenon of Twitter hashtags and Facebook posts translating into a full-blown political movement especially in the Thai political context is quite interesting to see especially with the ability to mobilize “keyboard warriors” a unique accomplishment.
The social media horde has moved from distracting in the periphery to centre stage and centerfold.
And it can no longer be said that this is a generational divide because many of the protesters were aunties and uncles that have come out to support the movement, inspired by what they read online.
Of course, the work is not yet done. Mobilizing the keyboard aunties and uncles to one rally is a grand accomplishment but sustained protest is needed.
The government still has all the political cards and if the protesters are serious about constitutional change, then they need to keep up numbers and stay on message.
Historically this has been hard for a crowd as diverse as the social media keyboard warriors. But if Sunday’s protest is anything to go by, the keyboard brigade has finally arrived. Welcome to the fight.
