All photos Joshua James
About 100 people gathered to demand action on climate change by staging a die-in at Lumphini Park on Friday – at least until the police ejected them.
Dozens had gathered in the shadow of the King Rama VI statue near Sala Daeng intersection to lie on the ground and pose as “victims” of climate change when officers arrived to disperse the crowd. One organizer said the police told them that protesting by the royal statue was forbidden.
A police officer who would not give me his name said it was disrespectful to demonstrate on “sacred ground” in front of the statue, even if it’s for a good cause. He said it was as disrespectful as “demonstrating in the palace.”
Similar events were held around the world on Friday as part of a movement started by Swedish teen Greta Thunberg.
Coconuts’ Teirra Kamolvatthanavith was there for two live-streamed reports.
- Organizer Nanticha “Lynn” Ocharoenchai gestures from a group of protesters Friday in Lumphini Park.
- Ralyn “Lilly” Satidtanasarn
Related:
Climate-fueled flooding to submerge Bangkok by 2050: research
Lilly, Thailand’s Greta Thunberg, wages ‘war’ on plastic
‘Climate Strike Thailand’ to call for gov’t to declare emergency
World Bank on climate change: ‘Major portions of Bangkok will be flooded by 2030’
Bangkok is third most at risk city in the world to climate change, study finds
