Marchers rally at Democracy Monument
published : 8 Mar 2021 at 09:20
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Online Reporters
Hundreds of demonstrators rallied at Democracy Monument on Sunday in defiance of a police warning.
Members of the People Go network gathered on Ratchadamnoen Avenue to demand democracy and freedom for four protest leaders detained at Bangkok Remand Prison.
They are Arnon Nampa, Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Patiwat “Mor Lam Bank” Saraiyaem, who were denied bail after being charged with lese-majeste.
"We are not fighting the police deployed in front of us. We are fighting against dictatorship," Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, better known as Pai Dao Din, announced at the rally site.
He led the group on their 250-kilometre walk from Nakhon Ratchasima to Bangkok. On Saturday, the marchers arrived at Kasetsart University. On Sunday, the 17th day, they walked the final 15km to the monument.
Police said the rally was in breach of the emergency decree.
Mr Jatupat insisted on holding the rally and setting up a stage at the rally site, despite an order from police to disperse. He said the rally would remain peaceful.
It was the second rally in two days by pro-democracy activists after four demonstrations on Saturday.
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Vocabulary
- 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 (deny bail (of a court) to refuse to allow someone to go free on bail ไม่ให้ประกันตัว)
- breach (noun): a failure to follow a law or rule - การละเมิดกฎหมาย, การละเมิดกฎข้อบังคับ
- defiance: the refusal to obey - การขัดขืน
- democracy (noun): a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives - การปกครองแบบประชาธิปไตย
- deploy: (of police, soldiers, government officials or equipment) to put in place ready for action - ส่ง ประจำการ.
- detained: kept in a place and not allowed to leave - กักตัว ควบคุมตัวหรือฝากขัง
- dictatorship: government by someone who takes power by force and does not allow elections - เผด็จการ
- disperse: (of a crowd of people) to separate and leave in different directions - สลายฝูงชน
- emergency decree (noun): a situation where the government takes on special powers in a dangerous situation and the rights of the people are often limited in some way - ประกาศภาวะฉุกเฉิน
- lese-majeste (adj): the crime of offending, threatening or showing disrespect for a member of the royal family - หมิ่นพระบรมเดชานุภาพ
