Police prevent clash as pro-monarchy group stages rally

AFTER a pro-monarchy group rallied at Chao Prom market in Ayutthaya today (May 21) to show their opposition to amendment of lese majeste law, better known as Criminal Code Section 112, another group displaying red garments showed up to chase them away leading to arguments but police both in and out of uniform moved in and prevented any trouble, Matichon newspaper said.

The group opposing the pro-monarchy rally said Ayutthya people love the monarchy but this rally is an attempt to start a trend even as the election winner is still trying to form a government.

They added that making this move could trigger chaos in the country with a new government not having started working.

However,  Mrs. Kanlayani Chuprang, or Aunt Ayutthaya, said she and other people both in this and nearby provinces came out to protect the monarchy because the Move Forward Party has a clear policy to amend Criminal Code Section 112.

“That Move Forward Party won the election and is leading in forming the new government in accordance with the rules of democracy is acceptable because it is the voice of 15 million people, but we want to object to amending or even entirely scrapping Section 112,” she said.

Kanlayani added that she wanted to show the power of the pro-monarchy group and that there are people who oppose amending Section 112.

She warned that if this amendment is initiated pro-monarchy groups will gather to protest in Bangkok.

CAPTION:

A pro-monarchy group and another one displaying red garments argue in Ayutthaya, above, and members of the latter group displaying red garments, Front Page. Photos: Matichon

Also read: New Party leaves Move Forward-led coalition

Chart Pattana Kla excluded from Move Forward-led coalition

Chart Pattana Kla the 10th partner of Move Forward-led coalition

Another one-MP party joins Move Forward-led coalition govt

Some ‘renegade’ Palang Pracharath, Democrat MPs look to back Pita for PM

Move Forward-led coalition govt now consists of 8 partners with 313 MPs

Senators’ bloc against voters’ consensus will have a price to pay: Pita

Leaders of Move Forward-led coalition hold first meeting

Seized cash returned to vote-buying suspect