PM rejects martial law talk

Anti-government protesters occupy the road outside the head office of Siam Commercial Bank near Ratchayothin intersection. Photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool
Anti-government protesters occupy the road outside the head office of Siam Commercial Bank near Ratchayothin intersection. Photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday again said that martial law will not used to stop the anti-government protests, as protesters plan five days of rallies.

Asked by reporters about martial law, Gen Prayut said he had not considered it, and current laws were enough to handle the protesters.

"In a democratic world, I cannot get everyone to agree with me. All I can do is to find a way to move forward together to avoid problems in the future," he said.


The prime minister also shrugged off a protesters' plan to hold rallies for five consecutive days, saying: "Just let them announce it. The law is there to punish anyone who breaks it,'' Gen Prayut said.

In a Line group for the Ratsadon protest movement, shared with reporters, the administrator said the protest group will hold rallies for five consecutive days, without camping overnight.

The five-day rally plan comes after the group on Tuesday night changed its rally site from the Crown Property Bureau to the head office of the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) near Ratchayothin intersection.

The group claimed the change of venue was intended to avoid a confrontation with opposing groups.

Anti-government protesters rallied in front of SCB Park, the headquarters of the SCB in Chatuchak district on Wednesday.

Demonstrators and rally guards erected metal barriers on the road at Ratchayothin intersection leading to Lat Phrao intersection, to prevent vehicles from turning left to the site on Ratchadaphisek Road.

Leading protest members on the back of a truck with loudspeakers took turns lambasting the government. Protest co-leader Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak arrived about 3pm in a yellow duck suit.

Holding a sign saying "Citizen Area", the student activist said the rally initially planned in front of the Crown Property Bureau had been moved to SCB Park to avoid any possible violence.

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Vocabulary

  • barrier: a bar or gate that stops people, animals or vehicles from entering a place - สิ่งกีดขวางทางผ่าน
  • citizen: someone who has the right to live permanently in a particular country - พลเมือง 
  • confrontation: a situation in which people or groups are arguing angrily or are fighting - การเผชิญหน้า
  • consecutive: following one after another in order and with nothing else in between - ที่ต่อเนื่องตามลำดับ
  • democracy (noun): a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives - การปกครองแบบประชาธิปไตย
  • handle: to be able deal with a situation - ควบคุมได้, จัดการได้
  • lambast: to criticise someone or something severely -
  • martial law: direct control of an area or country by the armed forces - กฎอัยการศึก
  • opposing: working, fighting, etc. against each other - ซึ่งต่อต้าน
  • shrug off: to show that something does not worry or upset you - ไม่เอาใจใส่, ไม่สนใจ
  • violence: physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people - ความรุนแรง, การใช้กำลังทำลาย
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