Overall Situation of Public Assembly
February 2024 saw a series of public assemblies being held throughout the country. According to the observation and documentation by the Mob Data Thailand, in February 2024, at least 50 small-scale public assemblies were organized. For sit-in public assemblies that lasted more than one day, altogether they happened in the span of 100 times. 30 public assemblies took place in Bangkok while 20 in the province. The February’s public assemblies covered a range of issues.
Photo by Faozee Lateh
Most public assemblies coalesced around the demand of the right to bail and the advocacies for Amnesty Bill, more than 23 of them. Since this month marked the launch of campaign by the People’s Amnesty Network composed of at least 23 civil society organizations and political activists, there was a campaign to sign up a petition to propose the People’s Amnesty Bill for parliamentary reading between 1-14 February 2024. Meanwhile, the Stand Stop Tyranny was conducted at Tha Phae Gate in Chiang Mai every week as usual. The issues thus garnered the most public assemblies and activities this month.
Photo by Faozee Lateh
The second most popular issue concerned international solidarity with six public assemblies. Since this February marked the third anniversary of the Myanmar’s military coup, at least four activities were conducted on the issue by the alliance of Thai and Myanmar activists, the Milk Tea Alliance, and the Spirit in Education Movement (SEM). In addition, the Free Palestine Group organized a public assembly in front of the US Embassy to demand an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Palestine and the governments of Israel and USA must end their occupation of Palestine. Lastly, a public assembly was held by the Ukrainian community in Thailand in Bangkok and Pattaya with a demonstration to demand the stoppage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and to make known to the world that we wanted peace, we wanted to live safely in a free society in Ukraine.
Photo by Faozee Lateh
Another issue is concerned with nature, the environment, land, housing and livelihood with five public assemblies including those by the People's Movement for Just Society (P-Move) which organized a sit-in protest in front of the Government House between 5-28 February 2024, for 25 days, and their meeting with the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao while he was having an official visit to Chaiyaphum. They demanded that the government accelerate the process to solve problems concerning their farmland and residential area and to promptly set up a committee to oversee the solving of their problems and to promptly push for community land title deeds. A public assembly was also organized by the Bang Kloy Returning Home as a Car Mob in collaboration with P-Move on 23 February 2024. Together, they have gone to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation to submit a letter of petition to demand prompt resolution to their problems in the ethnic Karen community of Bang Kloy. In addition, a public assembly was held to oppose the public hearing on the limestone mine at the village meeting hall of Moo 10, Tambon Khao Kala, Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan fearing the impacts on their livelihood and the ecosystem. Lastly, three public assemblies were held by the Lineman raiders to oppose the policy to reduce their commission rate per the policy announced by Lineman before this.
Photo by Maew Som Prachatai
Another issue is concerned with the monarchy (royal motorcade). On 4 February 2024, a video was circulated showing an individual engaged in an altercation with a police officer and their honking at the vehicles that block their passage. It was later known that the incidence was preceded by the passing of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s royal motorcade. It was reported by media outlets that present in the car were Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon and her friends. As a result, on 10 February 2024, Tawan and her colleagues organized a straw poll on "Have you been troubled by a royal motorcade?" at the fountain square of the Siam Paragon and a reading of a statement concerning the incidence in the video circulated earlier. They were then attacked by members of the pro-monarchy groups and both sides started to engage in a fist fight. On 13 February 2024, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), arrest warrants were issued against two activists including Tawan and Frank for raising unrest and disaffection amongst the people in a manner likely to cause disturbance in the country pursuant to Penal Code’s Section 116, for importing to a computer system of false computer data in a manner that is likely to damage the country's security pursuant to the Computer Crimes Act’s Section 14(3), and for being complicit in any act which has caused public nuisance in relation to the incidence in the video. Both were brought for an arraignment with the court on 14 February 2024, and were denied bail. As a result, Tawan was transferred to the Central Women's Correctional Institution, while Frank to the Bangkok Remand Prison immediately. They then announced their hunger strike immediately with three demands including (1) judiciary reform, (2) no more imprisonment of dissents, and (3) Thailand not being elected as member of the UN Human Rights Council.
The saga from such incidence prompted some members of the public and government to show off their loyalty to Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Various government agencies instructed their employees to clad in violet clothing. Meanwhile, some members of the public and those from government agencies came together while cladding in violet and yellow clothing at lease in five occasions inside and outside Bangkok. This included the activity to sign the royal anthem organized by the Sita Bearing It No More at the Two-King Monument in Chulalongkorn University on 14 February 2024. In Chiang Mai, an activity was held to show their solidarity with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn at the Thee-King Monument. Another activity to sign national anthem and royal anthem by people in Uthai Thani was led by Deputy Minister of Interior Chada Thaiseth at the Lan Suphanikar, Uthai Thani Provincial Hall and in front of the house no. 905. A public assembly and a ceremony were held to show the Chiang Mai people’s solidarity and loyalty at the Three-King Monument. The ceremony to exhibit loyalty to the royal portrait and to sing the praises of the Princess led by the Governor of Lampang and local government officials was held a public park inside the Lampang Provincial Hall on the same day. In addition, on 15 February, the Chula Love Phra Thep Group and around 800 members came together at the Two-King Monument, Chulalongkorn University, for the same purpose.
The other public assemblies were held by the Network of Students and People for the Reform of Thailand and the People's Center for the Protection of Monarchy (SPPS) which involved the sit-in protest at the Chamai Maruchate Bridge by the Government House from 2 February 2024. The notification was made with Pol Major Wanchai Wongwanichanan, Superintendent of Dusit Police Station for a month-long protest, and it ended on 2 March 2024. Their demands included (1) bringing Thaksin back to prison, (2) government agencies offering help to Thaksinmust face sanctions, (3) Ombudsman urged to explain as he was quoted by the Department of Corrections of having gone to the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital to meet Thaksin. (4) legal personnel must show their stances regarding whether Thaksin has undermined the justice system, (5) members of the public, 20,000 of them, are invited to sign a petition to hold the National Anti-Corruption Commission accountable for failing to investigate the wrongdoers who have offered help to Thaksin
Photo by Faozee Lateh
Other public assemblies were held on other issues including the public assembly by sister of Wanchalearm Satsaksit, a human rights defender who was abducted. His sister tried to demand justice for her brother when Samdech Hun Sen came to visit Thaksin Shinawatra at Ban Chan Song La. Before arriving at the house, she was intercepted by more than 50 plain clothes police officers and their vehicles. She could only hold her protest in front of a bank near Ban Chan Song La. Other public assemblies were held on marriage equality, the plight of Thai workers employed to pick berries in Sweden’s and Finland’s forests, a march to demand the stoppage of trafficking of Thai workers, and the protest against the relocation of the Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Uthenthawai Campus, etc.
Police’s attempts to stifle public assemblies, and public assemblies by People's Movement for Just Society (P-Move) between 5-28 February 2024
This month saw sit-in assemblies by various groups including P-Move which announced since 4 February 2024 their intention to conduct a sit-in protest at Gate 4 of the Government House from 5 February 2024 indefinitely. They demanded a negotiation with the government to advocate for policies to uphold community rights to management of land and natural resources. Their three key demands include;
1. Pressing ahead ‘Community Land Titles‘, Stop forcing people to accept ‘Kor Thor Chor Project’ (the Government’s Land Allocation Project) (under the charge of Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Office of the Prime Minister, Office of Community Land Titles, and Office of the National Land Policy Board)
2. Address urgent problems regarding the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation and the forced eviction, and quality of life immediately seeking a negotiation only with ’Patcharawat Wongsuwan‘
3. Meeting of Subcommittee to Explore Comprehensive Solutions to Land Problems commenced and chaired by Thammanat Prompao
Photo by People's Movement for Just Society (P-Move)
On 5 February 2024, at the time they announced, at least 150 members of P-Move have gathered at Gate 4 of the Government House around 09.25. Police forces from Dusit Police Station were deployed at the protesting site and an announcement was made asking them to rectify their public assembly as required by Section 7, last paragraph, as follows;
"Pursuant to the order of the Metropolitan Police Bureau on 2 February 2024, an announcement is hereby made to prohibit a public assembly around the Government House and within its 50 meter-radius. The holding of a public assembly by the People's Movement for Just Society (P-Move) with around 500 participants may cause public nuisance and obstruct entrance and exit of the Government House."
Toward the end of the announcement, the police asked them to relocate their public assembly to an area in front of the United Nations Headquarters within 12.00 of today (5 February2024). Meanwhile, the P-Move members vowed to continue their public assembly at Gate 4 of the Government House indefinitely until the goals of their demonstration were met. Around 16.30, P-Move members stated to gather in rows ready to march and submit a letter of petition at the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office and to Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation at the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC). Since no delegate was sent down to receive their letter, P-Move continued their sit-in protest at the venue as announced while around 50 police officers with armors were cordoning off the entrance to the OPDC. Around 18.00, Pol.Gen. Surachate Hakparn came to meet P-Move as instructed by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.
Meanwhile, on 6 February 2024, Pol Lt. Gen. Thiti Saengsawang, Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, signed the order no. Bor Chor Nor 60/2567 on the announcement of the prohibition of a public assembly around the Government House and within its 50 meter-radius pursuant to Section 7, last paragraph, of the Public Assembly Act B.E. 2558. It was preceded by the Metropolitan Police Division 1’s most urgent letter no. 0015.(Kor Kor Nor 1)/840 dated 2 February 2024 to request for an announcement to prohibit a public assembly around the Government House and within its 50 meter-radius pursuant to the public assembly notification made for around 500 participants to engage in activities and sit-in protest by the Government House, Dusit, Bangkok, from 08.00 of 5 February 2024 to until 19.00 of 20 February 2024, altogether 15 days. It was expected that many people would participate in the activities and this might have caused an inconvenience to pedestrians and may block access to the Government House affecting the maintenance of public order. Nonetheless, to ensure the maintenance of public safety and public order and to ensure a public assembly is managed properly, by virtue of Section 7, last paragraph of the Public Assembly Act B.E. 2558 coupled with the order of the Royal Thai Police no. 424/2023dated 17 July 2023, the announcement has thus been expanded to prohibit a public assembly around the Government House and within its 50 meter-radius. P-Move, however, insisted that they would continue their protest until an agreement could be reached. The group has agreed to move to gather within the fences of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC), opposite to the Government House.
On 12 February 2024, after one week of sit-in protest, the started to march to the road in front of the Government House, still, many of their demands were not met and led to no progress. They decided to submit their letter of petition again to Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai surrounded by no less than 100 crowd control police in khaki uniform.
Photo by People's Movement for Just Society (P-Move)
On 13 February 2024, at 08.00, more than 300 members of P-Move have marched to Gate 5 of the Government House to escalate their action wanting to know if there was any progress as to their demands. After making more than one hour of speeches, they marched back to Phitsanulok Road, toward Gate 3 of the Government House and stopped there to make more speeches waiting to meet a delegate from the government. P-Move was preparing to hand in three letters addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao, and Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Thanasan Thammason, but none of their representatives came out to negotiate and to accept the letters. During their marches, more than 200 crowd control police officers in khaki uniform were deployed to block access to Gate 5 of the Government House with iron barricade set up across the road just before the Chamai Maruchate Bridge.
On 15 February 2024, at 09.30, P-Move was preparing to march to a spot closer to the Government House’s Gate 3 since they were yet to be informed via letter about the progress of the solutions to their problems. They wanted to hear a clear answer from the government. They stayed out and made speeches at Gate 3. Then around 12.30, Acting Pol Col Thanatpong Pirum, Superintendent of Dusit Police Station and around 40 police officers got there to ask their to rectify their public assembly given their alleged breach of the Public Assembly Act B.E. 2558’s Sections 7 and 8 and the order of the Metropolitan Police Bureau no. 74/2567 on the prohibition of a public assembly around the Government House and within its 50 meter-radius. Invoking Section 21 (2) of the Public Assembly Act B.E. 2558 regarding the announcement for rectification. The protesters were ordered to move back to the parking lot inside the OPDC’s office within 13.00 today and were told to refrain from hitting the road again. Nonetheless, the participants continued to stay put waiting for progress from the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office without retreating to OPDC until 18.00.
Photo by People's Movement for Just Society (P-Move)
On 20 February 2024, P-Move announced another action on the cabinet meeting day and while its Facebook page was livestreaming the action, it was posted that it’s the streaming was blocked. They could manage to unblock it around 11.00. More than one company of crowd control police were deployed along with iron barricades and police vehicles to block access to the entrance of OPDC to prevent the participants from driving out its sound system car. The participants then marched on without the sound system car toward Gate 5 of the Government House where they met more than 30 crowd control police officers with armors forming a row to block access to the Government House.
Photo by People's Movement for Just Society (P-Move)
On 26 February 2024, around 20.00, the participants put up photos of Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai with the word “Wanted” on the fences around the Government House. They were immediately brought down by the police.
On 27 February 2024, P-Move made another move under the activity called “A Mission to search for ‘Phumtham’ at 09.00 since it was a cabinet meeting day. The participants marched on advocate for their demands. Meanwhile, crowd control police in khaki uniform and a company of women police were deployed to block the exit from OPDC to intercept the sound system car. Police vehicles were lined up as another layer of block. Then, the participants marched on to gather by the Government House without their sound system car. The police then placed iron barricades to block access to Phitsanulok Road by the Chamai Maruchate Bridge and police buses were lined up on the inbound of Phitsanulok Road at Suan Misakawan Junction.
Photo by Faozee Lateh
On 28 February 2024, P-Move in its press conference called off its public assemblies after they have reached a satisfactory agreement with the government. In total, they protested there for 24 days.
Harassment from the opposition groups and violent attack during the royal motorcade straw poll on "Have you been troubled by a royal motorcade?"
On 10 February 2024, Tantawan Tuatulanon, a political activist and her colleagues were conducting a straw poll on the theme “Have you been troubled by a royal motorcade?” at the fountain square of Siam Paragon. Upon their arrival, the security personnel told them to conduct their activity at the Siam BTS walkway. Meanwhile, Siam Paragon’s staff placed iron barricades to block access to and from the Department Store to separate between the activists and the Pro-monarchy members who have gone to the location before the arrival of the activists.
Photo by Prachatai
Shortly after Tawan started reading her statement, the Pro-monarchy members from the People's Center for the Protection of Monarchy and the Blue Blood Warriors to Protect the Throne climbed over the barricades and charged toward the political activists attacking them with violence and disrupting their activity. It forced Tantawan to call off her activity. It has since descended into a clash with the use of tactical baton to hurt one another. The police tried to separate both parties. Initially, there were reports of injuries of both groups. During the clash, the Pro-monarchy members chanted repeatedly and angrily calling out the activists as the "rebels" and the "scum of the earth".
The clash continued while the police tried to interfere to calm the situation down by leading the activists into the Siam BTS Station and then took them into a minivan in front of the Siam Paragon and drove them to the Pathumwan police station where the activists reported the case against the SPPS regarding the incidence on the Siam BTS station.
According to Prachatai, there were at least three injuries among the Pro-monarchy members. Wasan Thongmontho, Chairperson of the Blue Blood Warriors to Protect the Throne was injured, probably by being hit with a tactical baton on his head several times with another injury on his arms. It happened when he tried to approach Tantawan and was hit by the activists’ tactical baton. Reportedly, 11 injuries occurred among the political activists including the non-activists such as Naphatson Boonree. Two freelance media workers also got injured from being physically attacked by the Pro-monarchy members including Uncle Don Ketphuak and Khunphan Saensathan.
Harassment against media
Harassment by public officials
Photo by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)
On 12 February 2024, around 14.45, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that Nuttaphol Meksobhon, a 34-year-old report of Prachatai was placed under arrest per an arrest warrant at his home and brought to the Phraratchawang Police Station. Around15.16, Nattaphon Phanphongsanon, a 34-year-old freelance photographer was arrested while making a phone call at Wat Sutthi Wararam while covering news about the arrest of Nuttaphol. Both were charged for “being accomplice to damaging a historic site and vandalizing a wall in a public place.” It was related to their reporting of the spray-painting on the Grand Palace’s wall by “Bangurn” who drew the numeric symbol “112” and crossed it out and a symbol of anarchism on 28 March 2023. Both were put in custody at the Phraratchawang Police Station around 15.40. During that time, iron barricades were placed to block access to the police station and dozens of police forces were deployed there as well. Both were brought into the police station without their legal counsels or trusted persons with them. After the preparation of arrest memos, they were pressed with the charges. They were then held in custody at two separate police stations for one night. On the morning of 13 February 2024, the inquiry officials brought them for an arraignment at the Criminal Court, and were allowed to post bail for 35,000 baht each with a restriction imposed against repeating the same culpable acts.
Harassment by people with opposing views
Photo by Maew Som Prachatai
During the straw poll on "Have you been troubled by a royal motorcade?" at the fountain square of the Siam Paragon, Prachatai reporter has interviewed two freelance media workers who got attached during the clash including Paradon Ketphuek and Chane Cheewobancha, aka Khunphaen Saensathan'.
According to Paradon Ketphuek, the incidence happened after Tantawan was taken away into the Siam BTS station. He and Chane were following the activists into the station and walked toward the exit of Siam BTS at Siam Square One and the Paragon fountain to monitor the situation and to check if there was still any political activist left at the crime scene. Paradon further recounted that there was a group of pro-monarchy members hanging around at the exit. Then, Arnon Klinkaew spotted his group and started to hurl objects at this group, but they missed both Don and Chane. As a result, Arnon simply jumped over the fence to attack Chane
Meanwhile, Paradon was attacked by two pro-monarchy members. The first person hit at his smartphone being used for livestreaming until it fell to the ground and another slapped him in his face.
"They were charging toward us and hurling objects at Uncle Don (Paradon Ketphuek), and Khunphaen, I ducked to avoid it. They then charged toward Khunphaen and his henchman charged toward Uncle Don. The guy just hit at my smartphone causing it to fall off the mobile gimbal stabilizer. After making my phone fall off, he also slapped me until I broke my glasses" said Paradon. He further recounted that he could not remember the person who slapped in his face. But after that, Wasan Thongmontho charged toward him until he fell to the ground. He then used his kneed to press me down at the ticketing booth. He had to ask for help from the police and was escorted away from the scene.
“According to the public assembly observers, even though Februarysaw various forms of public assemblies and pollical expressions, still, it was challenge for anyone to hold a public assembly on particular issues and in certain venues. This can be attributed to the stringent enforcement of the Public Assembly Act and the use of violence in reprisal by people with opposing views.”