Members of pro-democracy group “We Want Voting” — some dressed in Superman, Batman and Super Mario outfits to show they had no fear — today marched 1.5 kilometers to a Bangkok police station where they scheduled to accept charges for their gathering last month.
Dozens of group members were led by political activist Rangsiman Rome as they marched in a procession from the United Nations building to Nang Lerng station, where 41 members had been ordered to appear, Workpoint reported.
The group used the march to again demand that the military government hold an election in November as they had previously promised — not in February 2019, the most recent of several shifts in the proposed date. Along the march, the members shouted: “Election this year!”
“We will see if Gen. Prayuth will lie … break a good-faith promise that he had previously given us again,” Rangsiman said, according to Khaosod.
Previously, We Want Voting had attempted to march from Thammasat University to the Government House and submit their letter to PM Prayuth Chan-ocha on May 22, but their protest was blocked by police. The group’s leaders ultimately called off the gathering in the late afternoon in what they said was a bid to prevent violence.
Following the thwarted march, the junta issued summons to 41 people. They are charged with violating the junta’s ban on political gatherings of five or more people and the traffic act as well as obstructing officers on duty.
Deputy Police Commissioner Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said to reporters outside Nang Lerng police station that 38 of the 41 people on the list reported today. They will be interrogated and released without bail.
“There are three no-shows today. We’ve issued warrants for them.”
“The situation is being taken care of in a civil manner, in compliance with the law and legal process,” he said.
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