Name: Can a youth movement change Thailand's monarchy?
Uploaded: 2023-04-20T21:28:36.000Z
Duration: 2 min 55 s
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This was Chonthicha "Lookkate"  Jangrew three years ago,

seen by Reuters cameras confronting police during  

the unprecedented youth protests  that rocked Thailand at the time,

over the power of the country's military  in politics and supremacy of the monarchy.

facing a possible prison sentence  for sedition and defaming the king,

and one of over a dozen young activists from the  movement who have become election candidates.

The three-fingered salute is a symbol of the 2020  protests derived from the Hunger Games movies.

She's running for parliament with a  political party called Move Forward.

One of the big topics on their platform: reducing  the severity of the laws for insulting royalty.

"I truly believe that if you want change in  this country to achieve a true democracy,

both the street protests and legislative path need  

to move forward together with  having a strong social movement

and having independent bodies to  scrutinise the work of the lawmakers."

"MPs are representatives of the people,  

we have to speak up about everything  to protect their interest."

"I saw the determination of the Move Forward  Party in trying to push for laws that protect,  

I want to use my knowledge and skills  in order to work with the party,  

including revoking any laws that takes  away people's right of expression

- or the law on torture and  enforced disappearance."

The protests in 2020 started  as opposition to the military's  

domination of politics after the  coup that hit Thailand in 2014,

and what protesters believe  is an unhealthy power nexus  

with the monarchy that's justified military  interventions against elected governments.

The military says it only intervenes  in civilian politics when it has to,  

save the country from chaos, and it's  ruled out involvement in the next election.

The royal palace doesn't comment on politics.

Regardless, the protests broke taboos  over discussion of the monarchy.

Progressive parties like Lookkate's aren't  expected to win the upcoming election in May.

she says the 28 criminal cases against  her would end any time in parliament.

But she says she's hopeful that more young  people in politics will usher in a fairer system.

If mass protests happen again, she  says, it will go much further than 2020.