Quack quack, the revolution is here: a summary of the Thai protests

When protestors attempted to gather outside the Thai parliament on Tuesday, 17 November 2020, they were met with a forceful police response consisting of teargas and chemical-infused water cannons. With at least 55 people injured and 6 pro-democracy demonstrators suffering from gunshot wounds, an unlikely hero emerged.

Giant rubber ducks.

Having been brought to the protests to mock authorities who blocked access to the parliament building, these plastic pals became makeshift shields as police response heightened. Throughout Twitter, artists have been designing hero duck cartoons in support of the movement.

But why are Thai people protesting?

Protests sparked in February 2020, however people only began to turn out in force four months ago, post-lockdown. Thai people have been calling for an overhaul of the government, military, and reform of the monarchy. Their main three demands include:

- Resignation of the Prime Minister and dissolution of parliament

- Constitutional reform

- An end to harassment of authorities

Additionally, some are advocating for reformation of the monarchy in response to King Vajiralongkorn’s reign.

The genesis of the unrest can be attributed to the military coup by National Council for Peace and Order, led by General Prayut Chan-cha. General Prayut has been Prime Minister of Thailand since leading this junta (government led by a committee of military leaders) since 2014.

In 2016, a referendum was held to approve a new military-drafted constitution. Critics have argued that this merely tightened Thailand’s military rule, and many agree that it was not a fair referendum. The amendments favoured the military whilst disadvantaging large political parties. They increased Senate powers to allow the Senate to vote on five-year Prime Ministerial terms and provide the military with powers to select two Prime Ministers. It binds the government to a 20-year national strategy road map, locking the country into a period of military-led democracy with a hugely reduced role for politicians.

Lese majeste (‘to do wrong to majesty’; an offence against the dignity of a sovereign or state) rules against defaming, insulting, or threatening the king, queen, or heir apparent were tightened, now setting sentencing to 3 to 15 years. Critics have argued these rules are designed to restrict freedom of speech. Security laws linked to lese majeste rules have been invoked throughout recent years, such as the sedition law, Computer Crime Act, and offence of being a member of an organised crime group. As recently as July 2020, Tiwagorn Withiton, who wore a shirt with the slogan "I lost faith in the monarchy", was subjected to political psychiatry, a misuse of psychiatry for the purpose of obstructing the human rights of an individual.

In 2019, the first general election since the coup was held. General Prayut was appointed Prime Minister; whilst the National Council for Peace and Order was nominally brought to an end, the political system continued through the civil-military party, the Palang Pracharat Party. This continued the National Council for Peace and Order’s policies. The competitive authoritarianism sparked here led to critics arguing that the election was rigged.

Finally, in 2020, the Constitutional Court banned the Future Forward Party, Thailand’s most vocal opposition party.

It is near impossible to amend the Constitution, which would require Senate support and a referendum, especially with General Prayut appointing allies to the Senate, Constitutional Court, and various Constitutional organisations including the Election Commission, National Anti-Corruption Commission, and officials at local government level. Numerous Generals and people with historical links to organised crime also hold key ministerial roles in the Second Prayut Cabinet.

Alongside these events, underlying causes such as issues surrounding abortion rights, women’s rights, military reform, education reform, and labour rights have been brewing, following the former Future Forward Party’s championship of such.

Criticism of the monarchy has also spread. King Vajiralongkorn’s intervention in political affairs is undoubtedly a reason for this. The King asked people on the eve and morning of the 2019 election to vote for the junta parties, upsetting many people. His rewriting of history, through demolishing monuments associated with the Khana Ratsadon and revolution of 1932 (following which the country entered into a constitutional monarchy, introducing democracy) has provoked further discourse.

Alongside this, King Vajiralongkorn has been accused of huge lack of transparency, especially involving finances. In 2018, King Vajiralongkorn became one of the world’s richest monarchs when he was granted personal ownership of royal assets from the Crown Property Bureau (formerly legally considered publicly owned). He consolidated the Privy Council, Office of the Royal Household and Royal Security Office into a single personal office, and in 2020, transferred two army units to his personal command.

These rubber ducks have an important story behind them. As Tracy Beattie, researcher at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said, “This time, yellow inflatable rubber ducks have become a new symbol for the pro-democracy movement, not just because they are cute but also because they highlight the sheer absurdity and disproportionality of the situation”.