Zachary Abuza

Opinion | Thailand’s protesters are taking on the monarchy because of the military

The Thai military seized power, refuses to accept an electoral mandate and thwarts political reforms, all in the name of defending the monarchy

It’s hard to blame the anti-government protesters who have broadened their scope to also take on the royal family, especially as the king remains overseas

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Thai protesters at an anti-government rally in Bangkok on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Zachary Abuza

Published: 9:01pm, 16 Oct 2020Updated: 8:24pm, 18 Oct 2020

In defiance of the Thai government’s declaration of a “serious state of emergency” in Bangkok and the arrest of more than 40 activists, thousands of protesters took to the streets again on Thursday. The day before, demonstrators in front of Government House were removed and gatherings of more than five people were banned.

This is the third major protest since July, and it comes on the anniversary of the deadly 1973 military crackdown on students. But this clampdown is different, coming hours after protesters allegedly blocked a royal motorcade carrying the queen and her son, though videos indicate that the vehicle was allowed to pass.

The crackdown exposes the government and military’s palpable fear that this year’s anti-government protests are entering a dangerous new phase. Citizens are no longer decrying the military’s domination of politics – they are also actively challenging the legitimacy of the monarchy.

Thailand’s royal family has long been off-limits for any criticism or debate. The kingdom has a strict lese-majesty law, which carries up to 15-year prison sentences. The government relies on a host of other laws to quell dissent, including the vaguely-worded Computer Crimes Act.

While there has always been some republican sentiment, the former monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej enjoyed high degrees of popular legitimacy because his reign coincided with the spectacular transformation of Thailand from a poor agrarian society into a middle-income country with a burgeoning middle class, tied to the global economy.