King ‘doesn’t require road closure for motorcades’
published : 16 Feb 2024 at 08:07
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Wassana Nanuam
His Majesty the King stopped road closures for royal motorcades long ago and has advised police to let general vehicles share the roads with motorcades, according to the Ministry of Defence.
His Majesty was concerned about the impacts of royal motorcades on the public and that is why he requested that road closures be abandoned, a ministry spokesman said on Thursday.
The King instructed the Royal Thai Police to set guidelines for traffic, with lanes designated for royal motorcades and other vehicles, the spokesman said.
Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang said the Defence Council on Thursday discussed the controversy surrounding a Feb 4 incident in which two political activists honked their car horn and argued with police who had stopped them during a motorcade for Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon and Natthanon “Frank” Chaimahabud have been detained on charges of sedition, among others, and denied bail.
Mr Sutin said he had ordered the armed forces to prevent such an incident from recurring.
“Protection for the royal institution is the most important issue,” he said. ”The armed forces will do whatever it takes to prevent such an incident from recurring.”
Vocabulary
- abandoned (adj): left and no longer used - ร้าง, ที่ถูกละทิ้ง
- activists (noun): people who take part in activities that are intended to achieve political or social change, especially someone who is a member of an organisation - นักกิจกรรม
- bail: money that is given to a court when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. If they do not return for the trial, the court keeps the money - เงินประกัน; การประกันตัว
- concerned: interested in something - สนใจ
- controversy: a disagreement that a lot of people have strong feelings about - ความขัดแย้ง
- designate: chosen for a particular purpose - กำหนด
- honk: to make a loud noise using a horn - บีบแตร
- institution: an important tradition or system upon which society is based - สถาบัน
- motorcade: a group of cars traveling with someone very important - ขบวนรถ
- recurring (adj): that happens again and again - เกิดขึ้นอีก,ปรากฎบ่อย ๆ
- sedition: fighting against the government; rebellion, revolt, revolution, agitation - การปลุกระดมฝูงชนให้ต่อต้านรัฐบาล, การช่วยก่อความไม่สงบ, คำพูดปลุกระดม, การสนับสนุนพวกกบฏ
- vehicle: a machine that you travel in or on, especially one with an engine that travels on roads, e.g., a car, bus, van, truck, etc. - ยานพาหนะ
