Rights groups and opposition MPs on Thursday criticized the government for arresting eight student protesters and activists and charging them with sedition for participating in anti-government rallies.
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.
The protests originally began in February after the dissolution of the progressive Future Forward Party but were abruptly halted due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. As the pandemic subsided in Thailand, the protests have started up again – fueled by economic uncertainty and anti-government sentiment.
This past Sunday, over 10,000 people from all sectors of society gathered in downtown Bangkok to express their discontent. In the past 24 hours, the government has arrested eight of them and charged them with sedition.
Rights Groups
Human Rights Watch senior researcher Sunai Phasuk told Thai Enquirer that the government’s arrests show that the government was not sincere in saying that they would allow freedom of expression.
“Each new arrest becomes proof that Prayut’s promise to allow dissent and respect freedom of expression is just a pack of lies [and] totally meaningless,” Sunai said. “As government repression intensifies, the Thai people’s resistance grows stronger and spread wider. It is clear that intimidation can’t suppress their aspiration for democracy and a better future.”
Pannika Wanich, a leader of the NGO the Progressive Movement and a former parliamentarian, told Thai Enquirer that the arrests show that the government was not sincere. She pointed out that many of those arrested were not even protest leaders.
“Their tactics are clear, they do not mean to negotiate but to repress,” Pannika told Thai Enquirer. “They lied to the protesters and said that they would not arrest them and were willing to negotiate and then carry out these arrests.”
“This will only anger the Thai people more and bring more people out into the streets.”
Move Forward MP
Rangsiman Rome, a parliamentarian for the Move Forward Party, echoed the previous statements and said that the arrests were meant to create a “climate of fear.”
Rome also pointed out that many of the arrests were carried out on activists and not actual protest leaders including the case of one rapper who was arrested in front of his child and wife.
“Creating a climate of fear like this means that we limit our options of dialogue and it will lead to more conflict.”
By Pear Maneechote, James Wilson and Cod Satrusayang.
