'Penguin' reveals Sept 19 rally details

'Penguin' reveals Sept 19 rally details

Student leaders from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration attend a press conference at Thammasat University on Wednesday. (AFP photo)
Student leaders from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration attend a press conference at Thammasat University on Wednesday. (AFP photo)

Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak, a core member of the students' Free Youth group, said people taking part in a major political rally at Thammasat University's Tha Prachan campus on Sept 19 would camp out the night before, then march to Government House in the morning in a bid to "demand democracy".

He announced on Wednesday that the title of the rally would be "Sept 19: Return power to civilians".

Mr Parit said the Tha Prachan campus had been chosen because it was a "Fortress of Democracy" and had a long history of being linked with pro-democracy movements.

Mr Parit said that the group also had a Plan B, so that if the campus got overcrowded, the rally would be moved to the nearby Sanam Luang grounds, a gesture he described as "occupying Sanam Luang and returning it to public".

"I'm sure we will be able to use Sanam Luang, even though it is prohibited by law from being used [for a political gathering] because it is a part of a palace," he said.

"Yet, civilians own the land of this country too," he added.

He also said the rally intended to turn Ratchadamnoen Avenue into a space for art and political activities relevant to the group's movement.

The rally is due to begin at 2pm on Sept 19 and the march to Government House would begin at 8am the following day, said Mr Parit.

Gen Thirawat Bunyawat, army chief-of-staff and secretary-general of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), said the authorities had closely monitored the organisers' plans and prepared measures to handle potential confrontations. Soldiers assigned to monitor the protests have been ordered to do so peacefully.

Thammasat University, meanwhile, has announced that political gatherings held on its campuses had to follow three pre-conditions: they needed to be legal, pre-approved and organised by certified student bodies.

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