After the pre-dawn declaration, riot police moved in to clear out demonstrators who after a day of rallies and confrontation had gathered outside Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's office to push their demands, which include the former general's stepping down, constitutional changes and reform of the monarchy.
The protest Wednesday in Bangkok's historic district, not far from glittering temples and royal palaces, was the third major gathering by student-led activists who have been pushing the boundaries of what is considered acceptable -- and legal -- language by publicly questioning the role of Thailand's monarchy in the nation's power structure.
That led to a moment captured in photos and video that circulated widely on social media in which what appeared to be protesters gestured and shouted just meters from the royal motorcade. Such actions are unprecedented in Thailand, where those waiting for a royal motorcade regularly sit on the ground or prostrate themselves.
Thailand is already under a national state of emergency as part of its efforts to fight the coronavirus, and it was not immediately clear how the new decree was different.Protesters were undaunted and said they would gather again in a Bangkok shopping district Thursday afternoon. Human rights group Amnesty International criticized the crackdown. Its deputy regional director Ming Yu Hah urged Thai authorities to "engage in constructive dialogue with the protesters."
The movement's original core demands were new elections, changes in the constitution to make it more democratic, and an end to intimidation of activists.
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No fire? It’s not even mostly peaceful yet...