Long live democracy, out with the dictatorship, yell protesters in Bangkok after the threat of the closure of the party.
Thousands of people were demonstrating on Saturday in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, in protest against the authorities ‘ attempt to outlaw the opposition party the Future Ahead.
the biggest demonstrations since the military coup in Thailand in 2014.
Long live democracy, out with the dictatorship, the shouts of the assembled.
the Demonstration was called Friday by the 41-year-old billionaire and party leader in the Future Ahead, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.
– This is only the beginning, he says in a speech to his supporters outside one of Bangkok’s big shopping malls, where many people are blocked for the traffic.
– today is a styrkeopvisning, so others can join us in the future. Today we are only here as a dress rehearsal. Prayuth, you should not be scared yet. The right demonstration comes in the next month, says he addressed to the former military leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, as head of the current government.
There was no major police presence or any effort to stop the demonstration, as it is in 2014, since Prayuth took power.
Thanathorn is Thailand’s most prominent critic of Prayuths government. Prayuth won the election in march, but it was under the new electoral rules, as the main entrance to the opposition significantly, says the criticism.
the Country’s election commission has asked the constitutional court to disband the Future Ahead. The authorities accuse the party of having broken the rules on party funding, because it has received large loans from Thanathorn.
In november ruled the constitutional court, to Thanathorns membership of the parliament is invalid, because he owned shares in a media company, when he registered as a candidate. It is in violation of the electoral rules.
/ritzau/Reuters
