Thailand's dominant opposition party, Pheu Thai, which possesses 133 out of 489 seats in the lower house of the National Assembly, demanded that parliament be convened for an extraordinary session to make a legal assessment of the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok, the opposition party's leader, Sompong Amornwiwat, said on Thursday
BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2020) Thailand's dominant opposition party, Pheu Thai, which possesses 133 out of 489 seats in the lower house of the National Assembly, demanded that parliament be convened for an extraordinary session to make a legal assessment of the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok, the opposition party's leader, Sompong Amornwiwat, said on Thursday.
A state of emergency was declared in Bangkok early on Thursday in response to continuing street protests, the participants of which demand reforms to the monarchy and call for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The mob has managed to persuade the police to let them into the territory of the Government House. The incident was followed by the declaration of a state of emergency in the capital of Thailand, which authorized the Thai security forces to suppress opposition activity.�
"We demand the convening of the Parliament's extraordinary session so as to discuss the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok and carry out a legal evaluation of this decision, which was made in response to the peaceful protests organized in the city. Pheu Thai party calls on all the opposition parties to support its demand," Amornwiwat said at a briefing held at the party's headquarters.
About 40 leaders of the Bangkok protests, including human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa and student leader Parit Chiwarak, were detained earlier in the day. Opposition leaders are negotiating with the authorities to release the arrested protesters.
"They have done nothing illegal, it was an entirely peaceful demonstration," Amornwiwat stated, adding that the opposition parties "will spare no effort to release the protests' leaders."
The demonstrations were ignited back in February when the constitutional court banned opposition party Future Forward, which was popular among students. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed the Thai authorities to hamper the protest movement by implementing restrictions on public gatherings. However, the pandemic has affected the economic situation in the country and deepened public resentment with the authorities. Today, the protesters demand that the powers of the king be curbed and call on prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who came to power after a coup in 2014, to resign.
