Three groups of anti-government protesters took to Bangkok streets on Saturday afternoon, demanding the resignation of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as prime minister.
At 3pm, the Prachachon Khon Thai group met at the U-rupong intersection and planed to march to the Government House.
It was led by Nititorn Lamlua, a former co-leader of the now-defunct People’s Democratic Reform Committee or yellow shirts.
This was the third time they assembled to unseat Gen Prayut. Their plan was to have an outsider or non-MP nominated in his place under Section 272 of the Constitution.
An hour later, the Thai Mai Thon group, led by Jatuporn Prompan, a former leader of the red shirts, met at Saphan Phan Fa on Ratchadamnoen Avenue before moving on to the Government House.
This was also the third time they gathered. Their goal was also to unseat Gen Prayut but they leave it to Parliament to choose his replacement. They don’t mind that 250 appointed senators will join MPs in voting for the new PM.
At 5pm, Sombat Boonngam-anong, a red shirt and activist, staged a “car mob” where some 200 vehicles joined.
His supporters came in vehicles and started driving from the Democracy Monument, crossing the Phra Pinklao Bridge and making a u-turn at the Arun Amarin intersection before reforming at Saphan Phan Fa.
All the while, they turned on the emergency lights, honked horns while making three-fingered salutes. They too planned to go to Government House.
Apart from preventing the spread of Covid-19, Mr Sombat had another reason to organise the protest.
He said while driving, people tend to make it a habit of honking their horns ahead of a curve or a blind spot. He borrowed the signal to represent a political situation where no future is seen.
Meanwhile, some 900 troops guarded the Government House with barbed wire and water canon trucks.
All three groups could not reach their destination. The first two addressed their supporters for a while and then dispersed.
The car mob arranged to meet at Ratchaprasong intersection where they honked their horns and then dispersed.
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