Thais protest in Sydney on November 29. Photo: Peter Boyle
If the military-imposed government of Thailand believed that charging up to 20 leading democracy movement leaders with lèse majesté (the notorious Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code which makes it a crime to insult the monarch) would frighten the new youth-led movement, it was badly mistaken.
The democracy movement in Thailand and activist groups have refused to be intimidated.
This showed in a colourful action outside Sydney Town Hall on November 29 where royal excesses were mercilessly parodied in street theatre.
“We believe that the Thai people should have the right to criticise the government and even the king,” said Kanyanatt Kalfagiannis, spokesperson for the Australian Alliance for Thai Democracy.