Protester released from remand prison, demands Thai PM’s resignation by 10pm tonight

Protesters are continuing to pour on the pressure, now demanding the resignation of the Thai PM by 4pm this afternoon. Following the prime minister’s speech to the nation on Wednesday evening, protesters had earlier said they would “stand down” and shuffled their deadline forward for the PM’s resignation to Sunday night.

But last night anti-government protesters set a 10pm deadline tonight for the resignation.

Chatupat Boonpatthararaksa, aka. Pai Daodin, freed from the Bangkok Remand Prison yesterday after a hearing by the Appeals Court, demanded the release of all remanded protesters and announced his demand for PM Prayut’s resignation. Protesters are demanding the release of 8 other key protest leaders, still being held at the prison – Parit Chivarak, Panasaya Sitthijirawattanakul and Panupong Jardnok,aka. Mike Rayong.

Chatupat joined other protesters who were camped outside the prison. Word spread of Chatupat’s release and even more people joined in the protest, until the entire road outside the prison was completely blocked. The protesters had cleared by 5am this morning, allowing traffic to pass again.

The spontaneous demonstration involved drawings of other prisoners, still in detention, as well as likenesses of the Thai PM, scrawled onto white cloth. There was also music and the singing of anti-government songs, and peppered with speeches.

The demands of the protesters for a resignation of Prayut Chan-o-cha by 10pm is unlikely to be met, nor the other deadline, set for “Sunday night”. The Thai Parliament enters 2 days of emergency joint sitting on Monday and Tuesday as they address the current political impasse.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World