Coup, Defied

Another coup was declared on May 22, 2014 in Thailand. Yet it’s immediately defied by brave citizens in a few cities and provinces across the country for the past consecutive days. Honestly, I got fed up with street protest in Bangkok, particularly the one ‘defying’ the most peaceful & democratic solution for this conflict : Election.

And this time around when the country is forced to embrace yet another coup under the gun point, anti-coup protest -still calling the election – should be ever seriously taken as I see this is really the last ‘fat chance’ not to lead the country to further bloodshed. Or, Perhaps too late, I’m afraid.

5월 22일 19번째 쿠테타가 선포된 태국의 주요 도시에서는 쿠테타 반대 시위가 하루도 빠지지 않고 벌어지고 있습니다. 5명 이상 집회 금지 규율을 거부하고 방콕에서는 몇십명, 몇백명은 기본이고 거의 천명 가까이 시위를 벌이기도 합니다. ‘이들은’ 여전히 선거를 하자고 합니다. 가장 평화적이고 민주적인 방식, 선거를 왜 ‘저들은’ 자꾸 뒤엎는 걸까요? 인내심이 한계에 도달한 듯한 시위대의 모습에서 이번 쿠테타가 마지막이 될지도 모른다는 생각이 듭니다.

Anti-Coup protest in Bangkok, Thailand on May 22, 2014
(Photo © Lee Yu Kyung 2014)

Anti-Coup protesters threw bunch of bananas to soldiers with whom they confronted in Bangkok, Thailand on May 22, 2014
(Photo © Lee Yu Kyung 2014)

A soldier tried to prevent me from taking picture of him as anti-coup protest was being held in Bangkok, Thailand on May 22, 2014
(Photo © Lee Yu Kyung 2014)