Politics Thai Opposition Slams Rally Figures for Encouraging Military Coup

[webfact]

 

Protesters gather at Victory Monument demanding Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)

 

In a dramatic twist, Thailand’s political scene heated up Saturday as both the opposition People’s Party and the ruling Pheu Thai Party lashed out at leaders of a recent national unity rally.

 

Held at Victory Monument, the event saw leaders from the “United Power of Land Group” controversially suggesting a coup, sparking fierce backlash.

 

The People’s Party took to Facebook, slamming rally figures for inciting a potential coup and promoting excessive nationalism. While typical demands like asking Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to resign were voiced, certain rally speeches seemed to be laying groundwork for a coup.

 

“In the past 20 years, many have suffered and even perished resisting coups. We cannot accept a coup; it violates our democracy and constitution,” the party declared.

 

Danupon Punnakan, a spokesperson for Pheu Thai, acknowledged the peaceful nature of the rally but echoed concerns over the coup talk. Stressing the importance of democracy with the Monarch as head of state, he warned that the nation could not endure another coup, reported Thai Newsroom.

 

Rallies are constitutional as long as they don’t involve violence, but the rhetoric from certain leaders crossed a line, he added.

 

This growing tension highlights the fragility of Thailand’s political landscape, as calls for democracy clash with militaristic undertones.

 

The potential implications for citizens and governance remain stark, with both parties underscoring the importance of adhering to a democratic system free from military intervention.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai Newsroom 2025-06-30

 

 

[ozz1]

If its democratic just call another election but that won't happen too many fingers in the pie

[Hunz Kittisak]

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

[hotchilli]

11 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

Elected by whom..... not the people.

[Krabi King]

11 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

A democratically elected PM could be removed if violating the constitution. That is democracy too.

[spidermike007]

This was a incredibly lame, provocative and ignorant statement to make, the last thing in the world Thailand  needs right now is another coup, and for Thai citizens to be encouraging it is just the absolute epitome of ignorance, stupidity and an inability to learn from history.

 

The last coup resulted in 9 years of pathetic Army rule with a trio of leaders including Prayuth, Prawit and Anutin, and that were rivaled only by The Three Stooges except the Three Stooges had a sense of humor and were competent at what they did. 

 

The Army is perhaps even worse than the Thaksin family at running the economy. It would be like asking Nicolas Cage for financial advice. Or asking Chuwit how to deal with the failed war on drugs. Or asking Justin Bieber for advice on nuclear fusion technology. Or asking Xi for advice on human rights. Or asking Trump how to demonstrate integrity while getting rich. 

 

One of the fundamental differences, is the Thai soldiers are not facing the level of desperation the young Burmese are. The poverty here is not as grinding as it is in Burma. I do not think it could be sustained, if the fools started it. Thailand is a very different culture than Burma, on a dozen significant levels. And the youth now, are very different people than they were during past coups, which were violent. and were supported with a sort of moral authority, which is gone now. The army is in a difficult position now. The generals might simply have to be content with their ill gotten fortunes. 

 

I would hope that if the army ever did try to engage in another coup, that the people would come out in the millions and just say no, and if the toxic Army decided to get violent and push back I would hope that Thai mothers would tell their sons who were in the army, if you act out or take the life of a single Thai person you will be disowned by this family for the rest of your life. If that happened in mass the generals would have to resign, and perhaps even take their billions and go overseas into exile. 

 

 

[fondue zoo]

Everyone's instructions  "stir the pot, don't stop"

[Tarteso]

Another one 

[marin]

25 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

Not quite. Which party won the general election. Won it by a big margin. Dont start preaching when you know diddly. 

[proton]

26 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

 

They did that already to Future Forward and Pita

[klauskunkel]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

leaders from the “United Power of Land Group” suggesting a coup

slamming rally figures for inciting a potential coup

certain rally speeches seemed to be laying groundwork for a coup

identify them by name, call them out, shine a spotlight on them, destroy their anonymity, make them widely known,

explain those speeches and their ramifications to the Thai people, use your forums and the media to show how these "figures" and their families will prosper with a coup while Thai people suffer.

[wensiensheng]

47 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

Well, it wasn’t THAT democratically elected. A different party got most votes from the public. About 250 or so senators decided to overturn that.

[lordgrinz]

39 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Elected by whom..... not the people.

 

The Elite, they were hand chosen after all the palms were greased.

[BLMFem]

40 minutes ago, Krabi King said:

A democratically elected PM could be removed if violating the constitution. That is democracy too.

Not when those deciding on the removal are all from one faction.

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Elected by whom..... not the people.

I am confused, being from a country without a Prime Minister. Are countries with Prime Minister all directly elected by the people or, like in the past, the Head of State asks the head of the winning party to form a government?

[zyphodb]

54 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

identify them by name, call them out, shine a spotlight on them, destroy their anonymity, make them widely known,

explain those speeches and their ramifications to the Thai people, use your forums and the media to show how these "figures" and their families will prosper with a coup while Thai people suffer.

That's what the Defamation law is there to stop...

[Seagull Sam]

36 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

I am confused, being from a country without a Prime Minister. Are countries with Prime Minister all directly elected by the people or, like in the past, the Head of State asks the head of the winning party to form a government?

 

It's not difficult to grasp.

In a prime ministerial system you vote for a party. The party chooses it's leader and the cabinet is chosen from parliamentarians to propose laws which are put to parliament. No majority effectively means no government as the parliament can likely get a no confidence vote.

In a Presedential system you vote for a person who chooses his own people outside parliament to put forward laws  to parliament (or rule by decree on the margins of constitutionality in the current US situation). A president who can't get laws approved can't be voted out of office by the parliament. He is the head of state for the allotted length of time.

A military government rules with no democratic principles at all. 

Please pay attention at the back of the class.

[John Drake]

Prayuth was better.

[sparky666]

Unfortunately a large number of Thai's are illiterate and need to be seriously led, so by just dangling a carrot, they can be swayed to vote for whoever dangles that carrot, they unfortunately don,t really have any ideas themselves, so they look towards their Peers, Peers some of whom are even more illiterate than they are, or so god damned corrupt, like many of the wealthy, I'm afraid its cat eat cat culture

[Luuk Chaai]

2 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

she was not elected by the people

 neither was the guy before her

[JonnyF]

I'd expect another coup by the end of the year. 

[AhFarangJa]

3 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

This government and the P.M. are not the democratically elected peoples choice. 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

I am confused, being from a country without a Prime Minister. Are countries with Prime Minister all directly elected by the people or, like in the past, the Head of State asks the head of the winning party to form a government?

The latter is nearer the truth.

The party holding the majority vote gets into power and forms a government.

That majority/coalition party then self elect their leader/PM.

 

[Purdey]

 I believe coalition governments (containing minority parties) are normal and exist in many countries. In the US the popular vote doesn't win a presidential election. There are many systems.

No point calling for a coup as soldiers aren't trained to lead a democratic country, don't know finance and economics. They only know how to demand obedience. While in power they try to make as much money or watches as possible. 

People can demand another election but are without the power to force it without bloody violence. Not the best approach.

[billd766]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Elected by whom..... not the people.

But the Peoples Party did NOT have a majority of the seats, so they could NOT form a government, and no other party wanted to join a coalition with them. Don;t you have ANY idea of how democracy works?

[billd766]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Prayuth was better.

Prayuth was far worse. He stoke the entire country at gun point.

 

That is NOT democracy. 

[MalcolmB]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Prayuth, Prawit and Anutin, and that were rivaled only by The Three Stooges except the Three Stooges had a sense of humor and were competent at what they did.

Says the American who voted in Trump twice. 

[flexomike]

4 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

They want to remove a democratically elected PM and government by whatever means possible even a coup. How democratic is that 

Democratically elected PM? I must have been sleeping, missed that one.

[angryguy]

24 minutes ago, billd766 said:

But the Peoples Party did NOT have a majority of the seats, so they could NOT form a government, and no other party wanted to join a coalition with them. Don;t you have ANY idea of how democracy works?

Do you? And are you implying thailand is a democracy?

[spidermike007]

5 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Says the American who voted in Trump twice. 

I would laugh at that if I didn't find it so incomprehensible. I've despised Trump since the late seventies, there is absolutely nothing that he could have said nor anything that anybody could have offered me, to compel me to vote for that circus freak.