Thousands Stage Rare Rally In Support Of Thai Opposition Party

Thousands Stage Rare Rally in Support of Thai Opposition Party

Thousands of Thais rallied in the capital of Bangkok on Saturday in support of the Future Forward opposition party, the first mass gathering since the military coup ended protests more than five years ago

BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th December, 2019) Thousands of Thais rallied in the capital of Bangkok on Saturday in support of the Future Forward opposition party, the first mass gathering since the military coup ended protests more than five years ago.

The junta rule brought back a military-aligned government in March. A month later, the national electoral panel accused the party of breaking funding rules. The case was referred to the constitutional court earlier this week.

Future Forward's billionaire businessman leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who is accused of making illicit donations to his party, called for a peaceful rally outside the MBK Center shopping mall.

"Today's protest is just the beginning," he told a large crowd of supporters who gathered in the city's central shopping and business district in the early afternoon.

The gathering lasted less than three hours. Some protesters reportedly demanded that the former junta ruler turned prime minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, should resign. There was hardly any police presence despite the rally being unauthorized.