About 1,000 people gathered in a Bangkok sports arena on Sunday, swearing to defend Thailand’s monarchy from a student-led mass movement that …
About 1,000 people gathered in a Bangkok sports arena on Sunday, swearing to defend Thailand’s monarchy from a student-led mass movement that they believe is a threat to the institution’s existence. Calling themselves “Thai Pakdee,” or “Loyal Thai,” most were dressed in yellow shirts — a color closely associated with the monarchy and the ruling establishment. Some clutched portraits of current King Maha Vajiralongkorn and of his late revered father, King Bhumibhol Adulyadej, while others waved giant national flags. The gathering took place as anti-government protests gather momentum across Thailand, posing the strongest challenge yet to the rule of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The former army chief first took power in a coup in 2014, then retained it in an election last year widely seen as rigged to all but guarantee his victory. Speakers at Sunday’s rally pledged to protect the monarchy and the nation. Videos were shown, one of which extolled King Maha’s role in fighting communism in the 1970s, when a jungle insurgency threatened the country’s stability.
