Royalists' offer tepid response to 'Mob Fest', call for end to politics of protests
A small group of royalists gathered on the ground outside the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) headquarters on Sunday, in response to the "Mob Fest" organised by some pro-democracy groups on Saturday.
The royalists, who called themselves "Vocational students protecting the monarchy", comprised aged people who were former vocational students.
Their gathering on Sunday was in response to "Mob Fest", in which thousands of people took part on Saturday at Democracy Monument, near the BMA headquarters.
The royalists view the demand of pro-democracy protesters for reform of the monarchy as an attempt to overthrow the highest institution. Pro-democracy protesters have insisted that they just want to reform the Palace, making it more transparent and accountable to the taxpayer.
The royalists called for the pro-democracy demonstrators to stop their political activities.
Pro-democracy and pro-monarchy demonstrators also held separate rallies in Rayong province on Sunday.
Street protests have intensified in recent months after anti-government protesters stepped up their activities, while coalition government politicians have been allegedly mobilising yellow-shirts to counter the pro-democracy movement.
Parliament will for the first time debate seven drafts of constitutional amendments on November 17 and 18. The efforts have been both welcomed as an attempt to solve the ongoing political conflicts, and also dismissed as a time-buying tactic of government MPs and the 250 senators appointed to the Senate by the junta.