You shall not pass: Thai PM turtles up behind shipping containers

Shipping containers set up overnight as crowd control on the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge, a key approach to the Government House in Bangkok. Photo: Jung248956/Twitter
Shipping containers set up overnight as crowd control on the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge, a key approach to the Government House in Bangkok. Photo: Jung248956/Twitter

The authorities pulled out their favorite tools to stifle public gatherings – modular shipping containers – early this morning in a bid to bar protesters from rallying against the prime minister.

Containers were stacked at three critical points around the Government House – the Chamai Maruchet Bridge, Suan Mitsakawan intersection, and Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge – to prevent protesters from converging on Prayuth Chan-ocha’s seat of power to demand he respect constitutional term limits and step down.

At the heart of their demand is that Prayuth relinquish his duties tomorrow, eight years after he took the job, as required by law. 

Meanwhile it appeared to be business as usual for Prayuth, who was expected to convene his regular Tuesday cabinet meeting today.

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, a legal sorcerer who has contorted the law to suit Prayuth’s interests ever since he led the 2014 coup d’etat, told reporters that should Constitutional Court rule that Prayuth must step down, he could continue to serve as defense minister while his No. 2, Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan, assumed the role of acting prime minister.

Although Prayuth has served as prime minister since Aug. 24, 2016, the Supreme Court last week ruled that his term didn’t officially begin until the new, junta-written constitution came into effect in mid-2017. Under that reasoning, Prayuth could remain in office until 2025.




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