Thai Protests to Reform Monarchy

[Suriyanakhon]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... ch-blocked

Thousands of Thai protesters marched near the official residence of the king on Sunday to hand-deliver a letter demanding curbs on the power and budget of the royal family, in one of the boldest challenges to the institution in living memory.

Thailand’s monarchy has long been considered beyond direct public criticism, but over recent months a student-led pro-democracy movement has broken deeply ingrained taboos to call for reforms.

On Sunday morning, demonstrators laid a plaque in cement at Sanam Luang, an area near to the Grand Palace, which read: “This country belongs to the people and is not the property of the monarch as they have deceived us.”

Basically opinion about the current situation with the monarchy has been at a straining point for several months now and now there are protests about the role of monarchy in Thai society. What say you, NSG?

[Nuroblav]

Good luck to them. Can't be certain, as you say, that it will work but it's a step in the right direction.

[Glorious Hong Kong]

Liberate Thailand. Revolution of our Times. Long live the Milk Tea Alliance!

[The North America Union]

Seems the young Thai populace really is much less traditional, and much more progressive then prior generations. Then again, it's hard to support a king who does nothing for his country, while upping corruption.

[Kowani]

Neither God nor King nor Master shall prevent the Liberty of Humanity.

[Bienenhalde]

Perhaps the Thais should consider having the current king abdicate in favor of a more upright family member, just like the Brits did with Edward VIII.

[Suriyanakhon]

Perhaps the Thais should consider having the current king abdicate in favor of a more upright family member, just like the Brits did with Edward VIII.

Britain has a much different form of government where the king has few political powers to begin with which are kept strictly confined in constitutional boundaries. The same does not apply to the political situation in Thailand.

[Bienenhalde]

Perhaps the Thais should consider having the current king abdicate in favor of a more upright family member, just like the Brits did with Edward VIII.

Britain has a much different form of government where the king has few political powers to begin with which are kept strictly confined in constitutional boundaries. The same does not apply to the political situation in Thailand.

Well, I don't think a king should be a politically powerless figurehead, but there should be some kind of constitutional controls on the king's powers. It seems to me like Britain could be a good model in that regard.

[The North America Union]

Perhaps the Thais should consider having the current king abdicate in favor of a more upright family member, just like the Brits did with Edward VIII.

That's a good point. Get someone like Bhumibol Adulyadej who was widely revered, but not necessarily hereditary or anything.

[Novus America]

Perhaps the Thais should consider having the current king abdicate in favor of a more upright family member, just like the Brits did with Edward VIII.

While that is definitely necessary, (the current king is a disaster) they still probably need other reforms, especially on the draconian Lèse-majesté laws.

Although the king is an easy target (being a dissolute and depraved sociopathic absentee playboy who is hiding in Germany) the problems are deeper than him.

[-Astoria-]

Undoubtedly A Good Thing.

[Trollzyn the Infinite]

Shit, is it time for another coup already?

[The Romanian Confederacy]

Republic of Thailand anyone?

On second thought,I hope the protests gain at least some sort of victory

[Kexholm Karelia]

I miss king Bhumibol already. I agree with the protestors, it is time to liberate Thailand from their oppressive monarchy, which was born out of the Siamese isolationist revolution

[The Romanian Confederacy]

Shit, is it time for another coup already?

Yes, yes it is.

[Major-Tom]

I respect the tenacity of these protesters, but feel cynical. I feel like anti-corruption and anti-monarchy protests are commonplace every few years or so in Thailand, and the end result is usually some short-term sense that change might come, but it never truly does.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Good for them, hope something good comes out of it.

[Bienenhalde]

I miss king Bhumibol already. I agree with the protestors, it is time to liberate Thailand from their oppressive monarchy, which was born out of the Siamese isolationist revolution

Your sig says you support Trump. Isn't Trump as bad as or worse than King Vajiralongkorn in terms of morals and in terms of eroding America's free and democratic system of government? At least Vajiralongkorn has an illustrious aristocratic lineage; I am not sure what qualifications Trump has to lead a country.

[Novus America]

Shit, is it time for another coup already?

The king is a just a puppet of the military though. The military likes him, because he uses his powers as the generals direct. They like that he is lazy and easy to control.

[-Astoria-]

I respect the tenacity of these protesters, but feel cynical. I feel like anti-corruption and anti-monarchy protests are commonplace every few years or so in Thailand, and the end result is usually some short-term sense that change might come, but it never truly does.

About 5 years, it seems.

[Feline Goetland]

Perhaps the Thais should consider having the current king abdicate in favor of a more upright family member, just like the Brits did with Edward VIII.

While that is definitely necessary, (the current king is a disaster) they still probably need other reforms, especially on the draconian Lèse-majesté laws.

Although the king is an easy target (being a dissolute and depraved sociopathic absentee playboy who is hiding in Germany) the problems are deeper than him.

Lese-majeste laws shouldn’t exist.

[Nebrascotialandia]

Seems the young Thai populace really is much less traditional, and much more progressive then prior generations. Then again, it's hard to support a king who does nothing for his country, while upping corruption.

What about Putin?

[Bienenhalde]

While that is definitely necessary, (the current king is a disaster) they still probably need other reforms, especially on the draconian Lèse-majesté laws.

Although the king is an easy target (being a dissolute and depraved sociopathic absentee playboy who is hiding in Germany) the problems are deeper than him.

Lese-majeste laws shouldn’t exist.

I don't think the trashy tabloid articles spreading salacious and defamatory rumors about the British royal family should exist. As flawed as Thailand's laws might be, I think there are perfectly legitimate reasons for such laws to exist.

[Novus America]

I miss king Bhumibol already. I agree with the protestors, it is time to liberate Thailand from their oppressive monarchy, which was born out of the Siamese isolationist revolution

Your sig says you support Trump. Isn't Trump as bad as or worse than King Vajiralongkorn in terms of morals and in terms of eroding America's free and democratic system of government? At least Vajiralongkorn has an illustrious aristocratic lineage; I am not sure what qualifications Trump has to lead a country.

I mean at least Trump did not flee the country.
The Thai king is hiding in Germany.
And I fail to see any value in aristocratic lineage. Why does what your ancestors did make you better? A person from a poor family can be a far better person than someone of “aristocratic lineage”. People should be measured on their individual merits, not the merits of their ancestors.

Trump has his problems sure, but he is term limited and also not supposed to be a avatar of Buddha and such. Trump is not supposed to be a religious leader.
You are comparing apples to oranges, the roles both serve are different.

[Feline Goetland]

Lese-majeste laws shouldn’t exist.

I don't think the trashy tabloid articles spreading salacious and defamatory rumors about the British royal family should exist. As flawed as Thailand's laws might be, I think there are perfectly legitimate reasons for such laws to exist.

We will probably not even be able to agree to disagree since you really have problems with the very concept of freedom. You remind me of Chinese traditionalists who just like communists are pure cancer.