Low participation forces anti-government groups to call off protests at Nang Loeng Junction
Weak response from the public to anti-government protests on Thursday forced the organisers to cut short the event.
The two groups, “Thai Mai Thon” (Impatient Thais) and “Prachachon Kon Thai” (Thai Citizens), have rescheduled a protest gathering for Saturday.
The two groups gathered at Nang Loeng Junction in Bangkok’s Dusit district to protest against the government of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Jatuporn Prompan, former red-shirt leader who led the Thai Mai Thon group, and human rights lawyer Nititorn Lamlua, who led the Prachachon Kon Thai group, together announced the conclusion of Thursday's gathering at 7.30pm and asked people to meet again on Saturday. They cited "low number of participants and risk of interference by third party" as reasons for calling off the demonstration.
Meanwhile, a protest organised by the Ratsadon group, who gathered at Democracy Monument and then marched to Government House, ended at 9pm with about 500 participants.
The three groups held protests on Thursday in remembrance of the 89th anniversary of the Siamese revolution that took place on June 24, 1932 and resulted in the transition of Siam into a constitutional monarchy system of government.