#Thailand#protesters already gathered infront of parliament house where MPs & senators are debating on whether to amend #constitution. They'll likely be able to start taking a vote at about 6pm #Bangkok time. This is continuation of reform demands #ไปสภาไล่ขี้ข้าศักดินา
#Thailand protesters say they want to continue momentum to demand for change & to support the activists who have been vocal in asking for new #constitution, reforms to #monarchy & change in government. MPs, senators will vote on 6 motions #แก้รัฐธรรมนูญ#ไปสภาไล่ขี้ข้าศักดินา
#Thailand MPs, senators to vote on 6 motions on whether they agree to amend #constitution. A least 1/3 (84) senators have to agree before motion can be passed. Senators are appointed & usually vote as a bloc. Constitution now has provided for their existence #แก้รัฐธรรมนูญ
#Thailand protesters have been consistent in demanding for #constitutional change since the mass rally over the weekend infront of the #palace. They say they want to see change. 1 change is to rid Senator system as 250 of them appointed by government. #แก้รัฐธรรมนูญ
#Thailand#parliament house has stepped up on security as #protesters gather to pressure MPs, senators to vote to allow change in #constitution. 750 MPs, 250 of them are appointed senators. 6 motions will be voted on. 5 by opposition parties, 1 by government. #ประชาชนปลดแอก
#Thailand#protesters now spilled onto street infront of #parliament. Traffic Will not be passable as citizens lay out mats on floor in for the long haul it seems. They want the government appointed senators ousted. Parliament has 250 senators and 500 elected MPs. #ประชาชนปลดแอก
#Thailand#protesters have drawn a picture of plaque that was removed from ground infront of #palace over the weekend. The plaque, since removed, embedded by protesters has inscription country belongs to the people. They say removing it means nothing as they'll put it everywhere
#Thailand protesters drew the plaque infront of #parliament. The initial brass plaque was embedded infront of #palace over weekend but since removed. Protesters want to make a point that they can put the plaque anywhere, any time to continue with call for change #ประชาชนปลดแอก
#Thailand#protesters outside #parliament compared to the scene inside where MPs and senators are debating whether to accept changes to constitution. Some amendments include electing drafters to amend #constitution & getting rid of senator structure #ประชาชนปลดแอก#ประชุมสภา
#Thailand government has encouraged senators in #parliament to support 1 of 6 motions. That 1 motion, submitted by ruling coalition calls for amendment to #constitution but must not touch #monarchy & must include 50 appointed representatives to be involved in amending #ประชุมสภา
Everyone needs to get some replenishment and energy at a protest. #Thailand style. #ประชาชนปลดแอก
1st 2 pics are initial plaque #Thailand#protesters have embedded into ground infront of #palace on Sunday, Sept 20. Less than 24 hours later. It was removed. Today, protesters painted plaque outside #parliament as MPs debate whether to allow changes to #constitution#ประชุมสภา
#Thailand#parliament started debating on 6 motions on whether to allow #constitutional amendment. They're set to vote at 6pm #Bangkok on each of the 6 motions. Only 1 of them proposed by ruling coalition. Some say that may be passed to try & appease protesters #ประชุมสภา
#Thailand#protesters reading out their demands for change. They want changes not just to #constitution as they say that was drawn up by #military government. They also want the #monarchy to come under the constitution & to modernise the royal institution. #ประชุมสภา
Resourceful #Thailand#protesters have found a way to project proceedings from inside #parliament to track voting process later on the 6 motions MPs are debating. They'll vote on whether to change #constitution. Protesters had asked for parliament to screen it but were rejected
#Thailand#protesters outside #parliament getting entertained while waiting for results from inside the house where MPs & senators expected to vote on 6 motions which will determine whether they'll go ahead & amend the constitution, who will be involved in doing so #ประชาชนปลดแอก
#Thailand#MPs & Senators were supposed to vote on 6 motions they've been debating since Wed. Motions are whether to go ahead to amend #constitution. 5 of 6 are proposed by opposition. With house dominated by ruling coalition members & govt-appointed senators, it won't be easy
Initially, there was a slight incident where someone needed medical attention & police didn't want to open #Thailand#Parliament gates for fear of #protesters storming building. But citizens demanded to open gate promising they won't enter. Gates eventually opened #ประชาชนปลดแอก
Some others in #Thailand#protest crowd outside #parliament have also been overwhelmed by being on location for more than 5 hours now urging for change to #constitution. Medical attention on-site to assist the unwell. #ประชาชนปลดแอก
1 of key #protest leaders speaking about the need to curb the budget allocated to #Thailand#monarchy & that it should reflect the economic situation of country & people. 6 motions undergoing debate in #Parliament do NOT contain any calls for reform to #monarchy. #แก้รัฐธรรมนูญ
This was the scene when #Thailand#protest leaders updated the crowd outside #Parliament about the fact that the MPs & senators will NOT vote on the 6 motions tonight to amend #Constitution. Instead will set up 45-member committee to study the motions. #แก้รัฐธรรมนูญ#ประชุมสภา
#Thailand#Parliament members & #senators leaving house now. But #protesters still here with speakers asking the house speaker, former #Thai#PM Chuan Leekpai to convene special session for MPs to vote/decide on allowing #constitutional amendment. House goes into recess Friday
#Thailand#protesters threw into #parliament grounds a stack of resignation papers they wanted government-appointed #senators to sign. They've always wanted all 250 senators to quit & dissolve structure as they say these senators are appointed, not elected #ไปสภาไล่ขี้ข้าศักดินา
On #Thailand#parliament front gate, #protesters left message calling for change with stickers of plaque which reads the country belongs to the people. The symbolic plaque was embedded into ground infront of #palace over the weekend. Has since been removed #ไปสภาไล่ขี้ข้าศักดินา
More of what the #Thailand#parliament front gate looks like after #protesters decided to disperse for the night after more than 7 hours demonstrating outside the house where MPs & Senators failed to vote on whether to allow #constitutional amendment. #ไปสภาไล่ขี้ข้าศักดินา
#Thailand#protesters have left their mark infront of #parliament house. They're continuing with momentum to call for change with protesters saying "committee" set up to study the 6 motions that should have been voted today is to "tire" the protesters out #ไปสภาไล่ขี้ข้าศักดินา
1 of leading opposition parties in #Thailand apologizing to citizens for not achieving any results from 2-day #parliament debate as the house was supposed to have voted on whether they'll allow #constitutional amendments. Instead, they voted to set up a committee to study matter
In the #Thai invite letter to @ASEAN foreign ministers, which I've also seen, @MFAThai minister Don says the "meeting is intended to be an informal dialogue that could be part of the initial steps of the #Myanmar peace process" #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Victims buried in a mass grave after #Myanmar#military launched air strikes on a #Kachin Independence Organization #KIO anniversary celebration Oct 23. At least 80 people said to be killed, 100s more injured. Fatalities may rise over hindered medical aid #whatshappeninginmyanmar
Despite atrocities committed, #Myanmar#military remains defiant by calling air strikes & killings of civilians in #Hpakant#Kachin "fabricated" & "rumours". They've now cited own "sources" saying only ethnic #Kachin Independence Army #KIA personnel & resistance fighters killed
#Myanmar#military again takes issue with foreign embassy/UN statements condemning air attacks, insisting comments made "without proper verification" & can be seen as "intentional dissemination of rumours" & "meddling of the internal affairs" of Myanmar. #WhatsHappeninglnMyanmar
#Myanmar#military's air attacks on #Hpakant#Kachin during a Kachin Independence Organization #KIO concert Oct 23 killed at least 80 people & 100s more injured. #KIA says the army carried out a "mass killing" which is "1 of the most cruel & deplorable action" against civilians.
#Myanmar's #ethnic armed group #KIA/#Kachin Independence Organization #KIO adds that the #military regime's latest attack only "encourages stronger revolution against" the Myanmar army. KIA has been clashing with the military for over 60 years. #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Some prominent singers/artists said to have been killed/injured in #Myanmar#military air attacks aimed at #Hpakant, Kachin. #Kachin Independence Army has upped its clashes with military since Feb 2021 #coup. #KIA had rejected army's offer of peace talks #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Videos of aftermath of #Myanmar#military air strikes on #Hpakant#Kachin sent to me for use. Increasingly, Myanmar military has been/will be using air attacks to target #ethnic territories controlled by ethnic armed groups/civilian resistance forces #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
🧵In less than 2 months, #Myanmar & #Russia met at least 3 times via high-level physical visits. #Military chief now making 2nd trip to Russia with his last one only in mid-July. Attending Eastern Economic Forum, he'll likely engage Russian defence again #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#Russia's Vladivostok Eastern Economic Forum's aimed at attracting investments into Russia. Unclear if Russian President Putin will attend. Since #Moscow attacked #Ukraine 5 months ago, nations like #US & #EU have introduced/expanded sanctions on Russia #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
But in latest rebuttal to @ASEAN, #Myanmar#military remains obstinate & defiant as it objected to #ASEAN's accusation that military has shown "lack of progress" in implementing 5-point plan to resolve crisis. Military staged #coup on Feb 1, 2021. 2/5 #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#Myanmar#military in turn accuses @ASEAN of making "1-sided assessment" of its 5-point consensus implementation efforts & that bloc was not appraising results in an "objective and fair manner based on the factual updates and situations on the ground" 3/5 #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar