L1 - L16
Volume 12, Issue 20
1 - 15 July 2013
30 BAHT
White masks rally in Pattaya
A
round 300 anti-government demonstrators rallied outside the Tesco Lotus superstore, North Pattaya Road, on June 23. They were led by Potjanarot Kaewpaluk, a former Democrat party politician, who spoke out against the corruption of the present Pheu Thai administration led by Yingluck Shinawa-
tra, sister of exiled premier Thaksin Shinawatra who is widely seen as the de facto leader.
Many protestors wore white masks in the image of the 17th century English rebel Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up Parliament and was tortured to death by the authorities. Potjanarot spoke out
against what she claimed was an elected dictatorship in Thailand. She explained that the white mask movement was growing in popularity, thanks largely to Facebook and other social media, and aimed to pressure the government into resigning by democratic and peaceful means. About 600 red-shirted followers of the government as-
sembled on the other side of the road, outside City Hall, to challenge the views of their opponents. Juriporn Sintupai, the red shirt leader, said that it was important to oppose the white masks because their views would only divide the country even more. He added that some white masks were Continued on page 4