Amidst the Chaos, Prayut Turned Down Martial Law Against Protesters

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha affirmed that martial law will not be invoked to quench anti-government demonstrations, stating that the new usual steps are adequate to deal with those who breach the law.

Asked for martial law, Gen Prayut said he had not considered it and the new laws were adequate to cope with the demonstrators. Following a meeting of the US-ASEAN Business Council at the Ministry of International Affairs, he made the remarks.

The Prime Minister said that he had clarified the demonstrations at the conference. For him, In a democratic world, He cannot get everyone to agree with him. All he can do is to find a way to move forward together to avoid problems in the future.

He even brushed off a proposal by demonstrators to stage demonstrations for five straight days. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that the rally recently was close to previous demonstrations and did not require martial law action.

The administrator said the protest group would hold rallies for five straight days, without encamping overnight, in a Line group for the Ratsadon protest campaign, shared with reporters. In fact, On the group’s other social media outlets such as Facebook, information of rally locations and times will be available. The five-day rally campaign comes after the party moved its rally site from the Crown Property Bureau to the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) head office near the Ratchayothin intersection.

The party argued that the change of location was meant to avert a conflict with opposition parties. Under the watchful eye of border patrol police lining the fence, anti-government demonstrators gathered in front of SCB Park, the headquarters of the SCB in Chatuchak city. As protesters thronged the city, traffic along the road going to the Prachanukul intersection came to an abrupt halt.

Morever, At Ratchayothin intersection leading to Lat Phrao intersection, protesters and rally guards erected metal barriers on the road to discourage cars from turning left to the meeting site on Ratchadaphisek Road. Motorists were only able to go directly to the Kaset intersection. This leading opposition participants took turns lambasting the state on the back of a truck with loudspeakers.