Thanathorn ‘unharmed’ by royalist mob in Nakhon Si Thammarat

Thanathorn ‘unharmed’ by royalist mob in Nakhon Si Thammarat

By The Nation

Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said yellow-shirt protesters who mobbed a car in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Wednesday were acting in the mistaken belief that he was inside. Posting on Facebook, Thanathorn expressed concern for the victims, who he said were ordinary people unrelated to him.

A clip of the incident shared widely on social media shows a crowd of royalists dressed in yellow surrounding a car and shouting for Thanathorn to “get out of Thailand”. They also accuse Thanathorn of wanting to overthrow the monarchy and “sell the country to foreigners”. One protester thrashes the car with a flag.

Thanathorn confirmed he was in the South, helping politicians campaign for local elections.

He said the yellow-shirt protesters were living under an illusion that he was the problem, when in fact it was corrupt local politicians who had taken over their lives. They had been lied to and made to believe that those seeking changes for a better of society were planning to overthrow the monarchy, he added.

Months of anti-government protests have in recent weeks triggered counter-protests by government supporters and royalists. Concern is now growing over possible violence between pro-democracy protesters seeking reform of the monarchy and royalists who find the idea deeply offensive.

Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said the incident in Nakhon Sri Thammasat recalled the time when red-shirt protesters surrounded PM Abhisit Vejjajiva’s car in 2009. He called for tolerance and said any conflict should be settled in court.

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30397785