PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s legal team to review new activist movement

A new movement, at least their “branding”, by the pro-democracy activist group Free Youth has caught the attention of many after it posted a new logo that resembles the Communist party’s hammer and sickle symbol, either by design or co-incidence. It has also caught PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s attention who says he’s asked his legal team to look into the new campaign to determine if it has an “illegal agenda.”

The campaign is called the RT Movement, short for “Restart Thailand.” The new logo has the letters “RT” in white against a red background with the “R” shaped as a sickle and the “T” shaped as a hammer. According to a post on the Free Youth Twitter page, the movement raises awareness about oppressed workers in Thailand and pushes to form a republic.

“Whether you are a student, office worker, maid, security guard, farmer or civil servant, we are all workers who are oppressed.”

Free Youth has arranged numerous pro-democracy protests in Bangkok since July. The group has raised concerns about monarchy reform, a taboo topic in Thailand. A slip of the tongue on the subject can land you in jail with a lèse majesté charge for insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy. 

Protesters have been pushing for the country to change from the “Kingdom of Thailand” to the “Republic of Thailand.” Now, Free Youth says Thailand needs to “restart” and become a country where “people reign supreme.”

“A republic is a popular form of government all over the world. It focuses on decentralisation. A ruler must come from a free and fair election, not through the bloodline. There is no blue blood or blood of any other colour but ‘red.’”

The group also included the quote by Thomas Paine: “Since all men are born equal, no man could have the right to establish his family as forever presiding over others”.

But… Prayut says that’s not going to happen.

“Thailand is not a republic. It’s impossible.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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