By Kelly Yue
Young people in Thailand have long been disillusioned by years of military rule. They are now taking their frustration to the streets and demanding amendments to the constitution, a new election, the prime minister’s resignation, and an end to the harassment of activists.
The movement has primarily been leaderless as protesters use Telegram as their means of communication, reminiscent of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protest that started last year. In fact, when asked about the intentions behind the leaderless movement, protesters often refer to the success of Hong Kong’s decentralized protests in maintaining momentum despite arrests.
The protesters have found creative and whimsical means of protesting, such as turning the Japanese hamster character, Hamtaro, into a protest symbol. They also made the Hamtaro theme song into a protest anthem by changing the lyrics. A line in the song which says “the most delicious food is sunflower seeds” has been changed to “the most delicious food is taxpayers’ money”.
The symbolic three-finger salute from Hunger Games is often seen among large crowds of protesters. In the Hunger Games books and movies, the salute signifies an uprising against the ultrarich and the totalitarian rulers. This symbol resonates in Thailand as the public has long witnessed the concentration of wealth in the hands of a small minority and the unshakeable dominance of the military.
As the protests gained heat, protesters were increasingly demanding changes to the country’s monarchy as well. In Thailand, due to the lèse-majesté laws, citizens can be arrested for defaming, insulting, or threatening a member of the royal family.
Two protesters were charged for yelling near the Queen’s motorcade and are currently faced with a potential sentence of life in prison. Still, this has not deterred protesters from fighting for reform of the monarchy.
Tens of thousands continue to take part in the protests despite a state of emergency and government crackdowns in which riot police fired water cannons containing a chemical irritant on crowds.
This movement has caused generational conflicts in the country. The older generation, who were raised to revere their king while also fearing the consequences of speaking out against him, are angered by student protesters that question and criticize the king.
A student protester revealed on social media that her father wanted to sue her because of her anti-monarchy views. He later responded by posting that she was no longer allowed to use his family name. Disagreements and conflicts like this are playing out across the country.
It is uncertain at the moment whether the demands of the protesters will be met or how much longer the protests will continue, leaving us with the question: will Thailand continue to be the “Land of Smiles”?
