BANGKOK: Three years ago, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul was on the front lines of Thailand’s democracy movement as thousands of young protesters clashed with police firing teargas and rubber bullets on the streets of Bangkok.
The movement shook the kingdom with its calls for reform and unprecedented demands to curb the power of King Maha Vajiralongkorn but petered out as the coronavirus spread and Panusaya and other leaders were arrested.
Many of the young protesters are about to vote for the first time in Thailand’s May 14 election. They have not given up their calls for change, even if they know they must be patient in a kingdom where conservative elites have long thwarted reform.
Panusaya, better known by her nickname Rung, delivered a speech on monarchy reform in August 2020 that included a 10-point manifesto. It sent shockwaves across Thailand and had her yoyoing in and out of prison.
“This election will be very important. It can change the game,” said Panusaya, who is preparing to begin a master’s degree in political science.
“If the pro-democracy party wins, we have many options to stop the selection of senators, to write a new constitution or to change various laws,” the 24-year-old told AFP.
Millennials and Gen Z – voters aged roughly 40 or younger – account for just over 40 per cent of Thailand’s 52 million-strong electorate.
Young Thais might be excited about the prospect of voting Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha out of office, Panusaya said, but they are also not naive.
Thailand has been hit by a dozen coups since 1932, most recently in 2014, as the military-royalist establishment squashed governments it deemed unsuitable or too progressive.
Panusaya recalls the “heartbreak” of the 2019 election, when General Prayut managed to cobble together a sprawling coalition to keep out Pheu Thai, the main opposition party that won the most seats.
“Authorities in this country are selfish,” she said.
“Those who are in power are obsessed with their power. They want to stay in power no matter what the cost.”