Bangkok –
Pro-democracy demonstrators in Bangkok have continued organizing their spontaneous protests in four major areas of the capital for five consecutive days yesterday, October 18, in the evening.
More protests have been announced for this afternoon, mostly in Northern Bangkok.
Prior to the gathering time of 4:00 PM yesterday, BTS Skytrain and MRT Bangkok Metro had once again announced the closure of several stations from 2:30 PM to 9:00 PM to abide by the regulations of the new severe state of emergency.
The coordinated demonstrations were mainly held at the Victory Monument as the main gathering site, Asoke intersection, Tha Phra MRT station, and Samrong BTS station, challenging the severe state of emergency that bans public gatherings.
Many simultaneous rallies were also arranged nationwide, including Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakarn, Nonthaburi, Saraburi, Singburi, Suphanburi, Prachinburi, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Yasothon, Udon Thani, Sisaket, Kalasin, Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Rayong, and Phuket.
The massive crowd at the Victory Monument was peacefully gathering in the rain to continue their demand for an end to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O’Cha’s military-based government and several other demands. The traffic in the intersection was not reportedly closed down but delayed as more protesters massed in the area later in evening.
All rallies in the capital were reportedly leaderless and organic gathering for about five hours before they ended the flash mobs at 8:00 PM as the People’s Party had previously announced on social media to prevent another possible confrontation and dispersal from the police.
The consecutive daily pro-democracy protests had continued to defy the government’s recent severe state of emergency issued last week which was issued to maintain national security and peace and order, according to the government.
The government, under the regulations of the new emergency decree, has also recently enforced silence on four Thai media agencies on social media platforms as they have allegedly been presenting contents relating to pro-democracy protests nationwide which are considered ‘misleading information’, according to the authorities notification.
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