DEMONSTRATORS started coming down to the road from the skywalk at Victory Monument at 4 p.m. today (Oct. 21) with this being the appointed time announced by the People’s Party, Thai Rath newspaper reported.
They initially gathered at a sidewalk near the base of the monument and started giving speeches, at this point traffic was running normally through the roundabout.
However, at 4.10 p.m. the protesters decided to occupy one lane at this roundabout.
Meanwhile police had put up metal barriers at Si Ayutthaya Road heading to Victory Monument to halt traffic flow.
This is one of three sites in Bangkok for today’s demonstrations due to start at 4 p.m. with the other two being at The Mall Bangkapi and Ramkhamhaeng University.
In another development, the Criminal Court today (Oct. 21) dismissed the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society’s (DES’s) petition to block and ban Voice TV on all channels, Sanook.com reported.
In dismissing the ministry’s petition, the criminal court cited Article 35, paragraph 2, of the 2017 Constitution that protects the freedom of the press with the state not allowed to deprive the freedom of presenting information.
The court added that this therefore means the order of the DES ministry is not correct.
This verdict leads to the order to close other media outlets, including The Reporters, The Standard and Prachatai, as well as a Free Youth Facebook page also being rescinded and they can continue publishing and broadcasting news as normal.
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The demonstration at Victory Monument at around 4 p.m. today. Photos: Thai Rath
