Thread by @erich_parpart

The only reason why the lese-majeste law still exists in Thailand is that the coup-makers want to keep it as a political tool to silence dissidents. Here is my recap of yesterday pro-democracy protest to abolish Section 112 of the Criminal Code. #ยกเลิก112

I first arrived at the Great Wall of Thailand near the UN around 1pm to capture the embarrassment on the international Human Rights Day. #ยกเลิก112

WeVo were gathering near Thewet since 10am. They were there to removed some of the barbed wires that were blocking pedestrians’ way to the market and their homes. I passed them around 1pm on the way to the 14 October Memorial. All was calm then. #ยกเลิก112

I have arrived at the memorial around 1pm where the police still gathering evidence. A small homemade bomb was thrown into the site on the night before when no one was there at 3am which led to the investigation. #ยกเลิก112

Found Ekkachai and Shinnawatra who are being prosecuted for 110 and 112. Ekkachai is facing life imprisonment and Shinnawatra is facing up to 15 years for the violation of the lese-majeste laws. #ยกเลิก112

As becoming more common since the police started using forces on student protesters, organizers were giving out banners to help identify people under the age of 18 at pro-democracy rallies. #ยกเลิก112 #ม็อบ10ธันวา

Went inside a conference room at the back of the memorial to capture the “surprise” speech recorded by @PavinKyoto around 1:30pm

I got outside to check on the cops and they were still gathering evidence on the small homemade bomb that was thrown in there and disintegrated upon impact last night. I don’t believe any culprit will be found for this one. #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112 #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา

Found Chukiat ”Justin” Saengwong outside the memorial around 1:30pm. He is also being charged with lese-majeste. Also found Uncle Statue who is always there. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

As the border police were too busy suppressing protestors instead of doing their job, organisers have stepped up efforts to provide more free masks and hand gels for protestors to prevent a possible outbreak at protest site. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Found Penguin @paritchi as he was heading to the seminar room at the back of the memorial for a discussion on the lese-majeste law. He is facing 8 accounts of 112 which could send him to jail for up to 120 years. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Lots of duckies as usual. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Found Nuttathida ”Nurse Whean” Meewangpra, founder of FAV.53, a group of paramedics that normally operates at pro-democracy protest sites since the crackdown of the Red Shirts in 2010. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Found @Piyabutr_FWP who is being charged for sedition. He is 1 of the first professors to openly discuss about the need to amend the lese-majeste law along with Surachai Saedarn who disappeared in 2018. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Found the monk who was earlier providing speech on the need to abolish the lese-majeste law because it is being used to haraass the people. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

The seminar in the afternoon then went ahead with Penguin @paritchi, @Piyabutr_FWP, and @pruksakasemsuk in the panel. The protest outside looks more like a market and everything was peaceful at the memorial until I heard about WeVo at Thewet. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิกม112

I arrived near Thewet on Nakhon Ratchasima road around 2:30pm and riot police were already forming their line from there. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Got to Thewet soi 2 around 2:30pm where some WeVo members were also gathering there. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

After the riot police at Ratchasima road and WeVo at Thewet soi 2 there was also a group of police being sandwiched in the middle before reaching the main front line at Thewet intersection. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

I have arrived to the main confrontation between the police and WeVo guards at Thewet intersection and things was already cooking. WeVo here were forming a line while moving closer to the police line. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

I went ahead to check on the police’s line at Thewet Intersection. Things were tensing up as WeVo were moving in on them. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Police line were doubling up as WeVo were now facing them. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

The confrontation between crowd control police and WeVo at 2:30pm yesterday. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

A scruffle between WeVo & the police began as WeVo tried to push the police away from thier barricade on a small crossing over from the intersection to the market behind them. WeVo said they wanted to open the path for pedestrians #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

1 of the police officers said he was put on a choke hold before WeVo escorted him out from their line. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

The scruffle ended as WeVo have to move back to form another line where riot police were trying to flank them from the back. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

At the same time, WeVo from Thewet soi 2 have also moved in to flank the police from the other end which created a pincer move that surrounded the group of police in front of me. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

As you can see in the previous video, a smoke bomb was thrown from Wevo’s side at the back before the police throw it away to the other side where another group of WeVo was. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

This group of police is now surrounded by Wevo as situation was calming down. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Negotiations then began between WeVo and the police as both sides were refraining from further moving in closer to one another. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

The negotiation was a success and WeVo began to move back while asking the police to stay where they were. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Riot police remained stationary as WeVo were moving out from the area to avoid further confrontation. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

By 3pm, the riot police were also moving back to their previous positions without any further confrontation between them and WeVo. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Traffic was reopened at Thewet Intersection around 3pm. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

After the confrontation between WeVo and the police, I went back to the pro-democracy protesters at the 14 October Memorial to wait for RAD @RapAgainst #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

”Ideaology” by @DechathornHK from @RapAgainst #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

“กล้ามาก เก่งมาก ขอบใจ” by Paeng Surachet featuring @DechathornHK and @jatupt who was not at the rally at the time of the song yesterday. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

“250 สอพลอ” by @RapAgainst - I like this song because the 250 junta-appointed senators deserved it. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

My Country Has or #ประเทศกูมี which sent @RapAgainst into fame. However, it was the dancing granny that got my attention. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

By this time, the dancing granny got all my attention. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112 #ประเทศกูมี by @RapAgainst

The middle-fingers for the coup-makers. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112 #ประเทศกูมี by @RapAgainst

And of course, @RapAgainst’s new single “Reform” #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112 by @RapAgainst

“รัฐประหารมึงเจอกู ถ้าไม่เชื่อก็ลองดู” by @RapAgainst #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Pikachu was also there with angry Prayut. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Some Pikachu dancing. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Some of the polls yesterday, when did you became “politically enlightened” and why? #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Have to climbed up on the wall for this shot. Worth it tho. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Some of the atmosphere at the Oct 14 Memorial as @t_047bkk took the stage yesterday. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Went outside for a change of view to see this near the Democracy Monument. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Vocational students were blocking the street on the Democracy Monument side yesterday. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Went back in time to saw Fai Yen recorded performance of Chit Phumisak’s song. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Another highlight of the day was Penguin @paritchi’s performance in a mockery play yesterday. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Penguin @paritchi was performing a traditional satire song/play call “แหล่” yesterday. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

You wouldn’t see these everyday that’s for sure. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Then the police thought it was a good idea to come to disrupt the play, they were chased out by the protestors. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

Volunteer guards were blocking protestors from chasing after the police as they retreated back to the other side of the street. Things calm down after the police were gone. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

The day ended with Rung @PanusayaS’s speech on the origin of the lese-majeste law and why we no longer need it in the 21st century. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112

As a wrap, the police shouldn’t have put up the barriers. WeVo shouldn’t have confronted the police. The lese-majeste law should be decriminalized. And no more large protest until next year. #ม็อบ10ธันวา #ม็อบ11ธันวา #ยกเลิก112 #ยกเลิกม112