Thailand Prime Minister Trip to the South Perceived as Unfriendly

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s first cabinet trip to the South was a critical trip in terms of the general election set next year in November. Bangkok Post writes that, locals in the south, who have been greatly affected by dropping rubber prices have been progressively unhappy with the current government.

Intent to lighten the mood in the South backfired due to a couple of incidents. First off protestors protesting a coal plant in the Songkhla region were met by police, even the ones wanting to deliver the Prime Minister a letter. Three were injured, 15 were arrested and the bail was put at 90,000 baht each.

NHRC members accuse the incident as a violation of human rights as the protestors had the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. General Prayut’s response to the violence from the police met by the protestors was that they had initially attacked the police.

The next incident involved the Prime Minister himself after he yelled at a fisherman who had requested for an increase in the number of days fisherman could work throughout the year. The incident was caught on video and has now gone viral.

Both have led to increasing criticism from government supporters.

Read the full story here

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Image: ITU Pictures