Student protesters gathering today under Bangkok skytrain
Despite 2 students recently being summoned for breaking the emergency decree, members of the “Bad Student” protest group are gathering today under the Siam BTS skytrain station in Bangkok to continue rallying. The students set up a stage on the bed of a truck that was parked in front of Siam Paragon shopping mall after rain forced them to move the rally venue from the Ratchaprasong intersection.
The rally organisers say the event is supposed to end around 9pm today as they say they already have notified officials. The Bad student Facebook page posted a message today that announced their arrival to the protest site, as well as other messages.
“#Bye bye dinosaurs. I arrive now. Now descending on the street.”
“If parliament cast in the role of ‘dinosaur’ rejects and refuses changes, students like us will be the meteorite that collides with the backwardness of senior figures in society.”
“As our calls for educational reforms are being ignored, see us at the Ratchaprasong intersection on November 21. Students will talk about all the things the dinosaurs don’t want to hear!”
Some protesters even dressed in dinosaur costumes and were hit by inflatable meteorites from the supporting crowds. The movement was formed earlier this year to protest what they say is an outdated and repressive education system. Such protests have even called for the Education Minister to resign. The teenagers have also been actively participating in the larger anti-government movements in Bangkok with 2 of them being summoned by police for violating the emergency decree.
But today, in response to the summoning, volunteers from Amnesty International were seen handing out colour-coded wristbands to help authorities distinguish underage protesters from the adults.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
