Thailand PM says protesters demanding 10-point reform of monarchy have 'gone too far'

Thailand’s prime minister has admonished student protesters for going too far after some called for reform of the Southeast Asian nation’s monarchy, a demand that potentially carries a risk of lengthy jail terms under strict lese majeste laws.

About 3,000-4,000 demonstrators chanted “Long live democracy” at a rally on Monday at Thammasat University on the outskirts of the Thai capital Bangkok – one of many anti-government protests galvanising the nation’s youth in recent weeks.

Speeches called for the resignation of Prayuth Chan-ocha, the prime minister, who first took power in a 2014 coup, before winning a controversial election last year. But protesters also broke strict taboos to issue a 10-point call for the reform of the monarchy, considered sacred in Thai culture.

Palace officials declined to comment but Mr Prayuth, the former chief of the armed forces, told reporters he had watched the protests and was very concerned.

“There are a lot of people in trouble waiting for their problems to get fixed, not just the young people. So is doing all of this appropriate?” he said. “It really went too far,” he added, without making a direct comment on the demands on for royal reform.

The protests, calling for an end to the harassment of government critics and amendments to the military-written constitution that critics say helps to secure the army’s influence over the political system, also coincide with a sharp pandemic-induced decline in the economy.

But the targeting of the monarchy is an unusual step in a country where “lese-majeste” laws against insulting or defaming the king can be punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Mr Prayuth has previously warned protesters against involving the royal family but said that King Maha Vajiralongkorn had asked him not to arrest anyone.

However, Thammasat University apologised for Monday’s event, saying that while the university supported freedom of expression it did not condone “some references on the monarchy that impact people’s feelings”, and that legal action would be taken.