Democracy for the People of Thailand – Protest at Royal Thai Embassy, London @ 28/05/05 4pm

Indonesian activists dramatise the May 19th Thai army crackdown

The UK section of the International Solidarity for the People of Thailand Campaign is calling a demonstration today at the Royal Thai Embassy, 30 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5JB at 4pm – 6pm. Since 10th April, more than 80 people have been killed including non-aligned protestors, independent journalists and Red Shirt leaders. By 19th May, the Abhisit government had completed a “successful mission” in Bangkok, but the uprising has spread throughout the countries with at least 22 provinces recording anti-government protests in both violent and non-violent ways. The International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign started on Tuesday 18th May with a single voice calling for solidarity against the army shooting and assassination of unarmed citizens protesting against an unelected government. The response to call made by the International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign has been humbling, and we have received messages of solidarity and witnessed solidarity protests and demonstrations in Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong as well as in the UK. We are not aligned either side, not the Royalist government nor with the so-called “Red Shirts”, formally known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship as we abhor violence as a legitimate method of protest. Though any group under violent attack have a right to defend themselves, we believe however that the UDD have gone beyond self-defence an engaged in acts of aggression.

We do acknowledge although that things are changing, once the UDD was unequivocally supportive and backed by the ousted Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire and corrupt politican. Now it appears that the call for democracy and immediate elections initiated by the UDD has resonated across the country and is a cry that goes back to 1932 with the promise of Professor Pridi Phanomyong bringing the official end of Absolute Monarchy and delivering a path towards full democratic self-rule.

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