Rallies held in support of Pita, MFP

Demonstrators gather on Wednesday evening at the Democracy Monument following the court-ordered suspension of party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and the rejection by parliament of an attempt to nominate him a second time for prime minister. (Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham)
Demonstrators gather on Wednesday evening at the Democracy Monument following the court-ordered suspension of party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and the rejection by parliament of an attempt to nominate him a second time for prime minister. (Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham)

Groups of protesters supporting Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat as the nation's 30th prime minister have sprung up across Bangkok this week.

They began after parliament rejected Mr Pita's second bid for the premiership and the Constitutional Court's decision to suspend him as a member of parliament.

The United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, the Talugas Group and the Student Organisation of Thailand announced on their Facebook pages their plan to hold rallies on Friday and on Sunday.

Friday's gathering will begin outside Kasetsart University's auditorium at 5pm and then again at 7pm outside the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre.

The People Assembly Reforming Thailand and its allies on Thursday kicked off an 11-day campaign in support of a "democratic government" starting at the Pathumwan intersection.

Sombat Boonngam-anong, a political activist, posted on his Facebook page a call for another gathering on Sunday at the Asok intersection from 5pm to support Mr Pita and the MFP.

The People Movement for a Just Society (P-move) also issued a statement condemning what it described as attempts to destroy democracy and block a consensus reached by 14 million voters in the May 14 general election for the MFP to lead a new government.

The organisation also called on senators to resign en masse and for all pro-democracy movements to come out to demonstrate their opposition against "distorted democracy".

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Vocabulary

  • activist: someone who takes part in activities that are intended to achieve political or social change, especially someone who is a member of an organisation - นักกิจกรรม
  • campaign: a planned group of especially political, business or military activities which are intended to achieve a particular aim - การรณรงค์
  • condemn: to criticise something or someone strongly - ประนาม
  • consensus: a generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people - ความคิดเห็นของคนส่วนใหญ่
  • Constitutional Court (noun): the court that decides whether or not laws follow the constitution - ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ
  • democracy (noun): a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives - การปกครองแบบประชาธิปไตย
  • distort: to change something such as information so that it is not longer true or accurate - บิดเบือน
  • en masse: all together as a group - เป็นกลุ่ม,ด้วยกันทั้งหมด
  • gathering: an occasion when many people come together as a group - การรวมตัว, การประชุม
  • premiership: the position of prime minister - นายกรัฐมนตรี
  • rally: a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something - การชุมนุม
  • resign: to leave a job permanently - ลาออกจากตำแหน่ง
  • senator: a member of the Senate - วุฒิสมาชิก
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