Thailand’s Myanmar migrants rise up against coup back home

Organising protests, gathering supporters and distributing posters of their beloved leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar workers in Thailand are adding to a chorus of dissent against a coup that has upended their home country.

Thailand’s economy is reliant on millions of low-wage labourers — mostly from neighbouring Myanmar — who largely toil behind the scenes to keep the kingdom’s industries humming.

They live a precarious existence and largely distrust Thai authorities, due to widespread discrimination and frequent crackdowns against illegal workers, and usually keep to themselves.

But a military coup that deposed Suu Kyi has sent shockwaves through the normally quiet community, who have begun staging near daily protests across Bangkok.

“We Burmese who live abroad can’t stay quiet. We all need to go demand justice in front of our embassy and stage protests,” said Kyaw Thu Ya, a worker…