VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic that is still being dealt with in Thailand, Thai riot police carried out an evacuation at the outer office of the Thai prime minister from hundreds of thousands of protesters in the early hours on Thursday (15/10). An emergency decree was issued to tackle the growing protests by banning large crowds and the publishing of sensitive news.

A series of demonstrations over the past three months has brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets of Bangkok, Thailand. They are demanding the removal of Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, former leader of a military regime, and a new constitution. The protesters are breaking a long-standing taboo against the royal family, by calling for reforms to King Maha Vajiralongkorn's monarchy. They even dared to block the motorcade of the royal family, an act which the government used as an excuse to establish its emergency measure.

As soon as the emergency decree took effect at 04:00 local time, anti-riot police approached the protesters who were camping outside the Government Building. But many of them had left on Wednesday night.

The period of the Covid-19 pandemic is indeed a tough time for almost all governments in many countries. Maintaining economic stability is the biggest difficulty that must be faced. What is interesting is that in Thailand, whether it is the post-lockdown effect or otherwise, people are starting to question the power of the Thai monarchy that has not been touched. This is the first time the King of Thailand has been dogged by protests. Something has been taboo;  even violated the law.

Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn is known as one of the richest monarchs in the world with royal family assets conservatively valued at US $ 70 billion dollars. This is now the focus of the pro-democracy movement which demands greater transparency in monarchical finances, and limits on its very broad powers. This is the basis of the demonstration movement amid the pandemic which is then attempted to be resolved by decree.

Perhaps, this decree issued by the Thai government could hold back the demonstration. However, the Covid-19 pandemic is still difficult to predict when it will shake off. It is equally difficult to predict whether Thailand will not continue to be rocked by further demonstrations.