Students piled bamboo canes and stationery in front of Thailand’s Ministry of Education and splashed crimson paint on it to protest corporal punishment, one of several protests that took place across the capital on Saturday.
The small demonstration to mark Teachers’ Day was staged by the “Bad Student” group, who have been part of an ongoing youth-led pro-democracy movement that has roiled the kingdom for six months.
The leaderless movement is largely united in its demands for an overhaul to Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha’s government, and for reforms to the monarchy.
But some have also harnessed the protests to highlight their grievances with the status quo — such as the treatment of various marginalised communities, and the education system.
Protest leader Lapanapat Wangpaisit said Saturday the demonstrators wanted to use “Wai Kru Day”, or Teachers’ Day, to show the “two sides” of…
