Thailand marked the 10th anniversary of a bloody army crackdown on protesters on Tuesday, with a banned opposition politician saying anger was unabated, especially after last year’s disputed election that kept a coup leader in power.
FILE PHOTO: A statue and a torn Thai national flag remain in front of Bangkok’s Central World shopping mall, which was gutted by fire after army soldiers advanced towards an encampment of thousands of anti-government “red shirt” protesters, May 19, 2010. Rioting and fires swept Bangkok on Wednesday after troops stormed a protest encampment, forcing protest leaders to surrender but sparking clashes that killed at least four people and triggered unrest in northern Thailand. REUTERS/Adrees Latif/Files/File Photo
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a rising political star whose youth-oriented Future Forward Party was dissolved by a Thai court in February, stopped short of personally calling for supporters to take to the streets.
But he said it was inevitable that protests that sprang up earlier this year would return once the coronavirus health crisis eases.
“I walk on the street, people would come and ask me when would I be leading them to the streets. So I believe that you can prolong the situation, but you cannot prevent the eventuality,” Thanathorn, 41, told Reuters in an exclusive interview.
“Even if I am not leading them, they will find a leader to lead them.”
Thanathorn spoke on the 10th anniversary of a crackdown on months of at times violent street protests by the Red Shirt supporters of army-ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The military operation killed more than 90 people, mostly civilians, and wounded hundreds.
The military has always denied using excessive force and government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said there was no need for new investigations.
“Everything that happened 10 years ago has gone through the court process,” Narumon said.
No member of the armed forces or police was ever convicted of wrongdoing.
Commemorations were subdued this year because of coronavirus restrictions on gatherings.
Payao Akkahad, whose daughter Kamonkade Akkahad was shot dead along with five other paramedics at Bangkok’s Prathum Wanaram temple, laid flowers in front of a photo of her daughter, kneeling in front of the gates of the temple which unusually were locked.
“We have to continue to fight to demand justice,” Payao said. “I have to do it for the younger generation and the children.”
Thanathorn said there could be no justice for the dead under Thailand’s current government.
FILE PHOTO: Thai soldiers take cover by Lumphini park during clashes with anti-government protesters at Bangkok’s financial district May 14, 2010. Thai troops battled anti-government protesters in central Bangkok on Friday attempting to seal off their encampment after an assassination attempt on a renegade general unleashed a new wave of violence. REUTERS/Jerry Lampen/Files/File Photo
“This is a war, the war of memory. The establishment, the elite, they want us to forget about what happened,” Thanathorn said.
“Unless and until we can establish a genuine democracy in this country, there would be no accountability in the military.”
Elections last year led to former army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha retraining power, five years after he overthrew a pro-Thaksin elected government in 2014.
Prayuth and the courts deny accusations that last year’s election results were manipulated.
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