BANGKOK:Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn's praise for a man who held up a royal portrait at a protest site in Bangkok has drawn controversy in Thailand, winning acclaim from monarchists and scorn from protesters.
The king has not made any public comment on more than three months of protests, which have increasingly targeted the monarchy as well as the government.
But in video recorded on Friday evening as the king greeted well-wishers outside the Grand Palace, he is heard praising a monarchist who is introduced by Queen Suthida as the man who held up the royal portrait while others were protesting.
"Very brave, very brave, very good, thank you," the king said.
The Royal Palace made no comment, as it has not since the start of anti-government protests in July that have increasingly targeted the monarchy as well. Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri declined to comment.
The video was posted on the royalist's Facebook page along with several other videos of the event and pictures of him from Oct. 20 holding the portrait.
"Their majesties recognised me. This is the highest point of my life," wrote the man, Thitiwat Tanagaroon.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the video. Several other people at the event recorded the encounter and posted videos online, but the king's words were not clear amid the chanting.
The king's comments drew a big response.
"Just seeing this picture, we are very touched," royalist leader Warong Dechgitvigrom posted. "This is the Thai way and Thai society of caring, supporting and protecting. Today it’s considered that his institution has adapted to be very close to the people. That made the greatest impression."
But also among the top trending hashtags on Twitter in Thailand, tweeted well over 500,000 times, was #23OctEyesOpened - used by protesters and their supporters saying the Palace had now made its position clear.
The hashtag #VeryBraveVeryGoodThankYou was also widely used - alongside sarcastic comments.
"Very brave, very brave, very good for such a clear expression," read a comment from protest leader Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree. He has put less emphasis than others on calls for royal reform.
Another protest leader, Piyarat Chongthep, commented: "The king has not been above political problems but always sits at the heart of the problems."
Protesters seek the removal of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former junta leader they accuse of engineering an election last year to keep power. He denies the accusation.
The protests also seek changes to the constitution and to reduce the powers of the monarchy, which they say has helped enable decades of military domination.
Under Thailand's constitution, the monarchy is "enthroned in a position of revered worship" but in principle it does not engage in politics - a point that the king himself underlined during elections last year.
James Buchanan, a lecturer at Bangkok's Mahidol University International College, said the king's comments marked his clearest intervention so far in Thailand's crisis.
"I interpret it as signalling that the king acknowledges the challenge to his authority by the protests, but will not back down," he said.
Reuters
Sat Oct 24 2020
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida greet their royalists as they leave a religious ceremony to commemorate the death of King Chulalongkorn, known as King Rama V, at The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand October 23, 2020. - REUTERS
Bapa bunuh anak tiri, Mahkamah Persekutuan kekal hukuman mati
Mahkamah Persekutuan di sini hari ini mengekalkan hukuman gantung sampai mati terhadap seorang bapa yang membunuh anak tiri lelakinya yang berusia enam tahun, 13 tahun lepas.
Malaysia akan terajui pembangunan pusat data bagi suku ketiga 2024 - Juwai IQI
Prestasi ekonomi Malaysia yang teguh membantu melonjakkan permintaan dalam industri pusat data.
Jokowi ke Abu Dhabi untuk perbincangan dengan Presiden UAE mengenai kerjasama
Presiden Jokowi dijadual bertemu rakan sejawatannya dari UAE pada 17 Julai.
Tiga jurusolek lelaki berperwatakan wanita didakwa rompak rakan
Kesemua mereka dakwa mengikut Seksyen 395 Kanun Keseksaan yang membawa hukuman penjara maksimum 20 tahun dan boleh dikenakan denda dan sebat, jika sabit kesalahan.
Timbalan Speaker Dewan Rakyat buat laporan polis berkaitan hasutan, fitnah di Facebook
Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor mendapati hantaran pemilik akaun itu sangat tidak berasas dan tidak bertanggungjawab.
AWANI Ringkas: Pan-Gon letak jawatan | Ini pandangan peribadi
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Agong berkenan berangkat ke pra-Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja ke-266
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim berkenan berangkat ke pra-Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja (MRR) ke-266 di Istana Negarahari ini.
Status ADUN Rembia: DUN Melaka tunggu surat rasmi
Speaker DUN Melaka, Datuk Ibrahim Durum berkata, setakat ini pihaknya belum dimaklumkan secara rasmi dan perbincangan berhubung perkara itu akan diadakan.
Warga emas bersalah bunuh abang, kakak ipar
Mahkamah Tinggi di sini hari ini mensabitkan kesalahan seorang warga emas atas dua pertuduhan pindaan membunuh abang dan kakak iparnya dua tahun lalu.
PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp kemuka laporan tindakan susulan
Mas Ermieyati Samsudin berkata tempoh itu diberikan susulan laporan audit berkaitan, baru dibentangkan pada minggu lepas.
Raja Thailand kurangkan hukuman penjara Thaksin kepada setahun
Raja Maha Vajiralongkorn perkenan mengurangkan hukuman penjara Thaksin Shinawatra daripada lapan tahun kepada setahun.
Akademi Diraja Chulabhorn Thailand akan beli vaksin COVID-19 alternatif
Pengumuman di Royal Gazette pada Selasa ditandatangani oleh adik bongsu Raja Maha Vajiralongkorn, Puteri Chulabhorn.
Raja Thailand panggil ulama Islam doa 'tolak COVID-19', tular tapi tidak benar
Video itu sebenarnya menunjukkan Raja Maha Vajiralongkorn dan Ratu Suthida mempengerusikan pertandingan membaca al-Quran tahunan pada tahun 2020.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita antarabangsa yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Raja Thailand paling kaya di dunia, mengatasi Raja Arab Saudi, Sultan Brunei
Raja Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn dilaporkan sebagai pemerintah paling kaya di dunia, mengatasi Raja Arab Saudi, Sultan Brunei dan keluarga diraja Britain.
Protes Thailand: Siapa pilihan Berlin... pro demokasi atau pro monarki?
Usaha penunjuk perasaan di Bangkok memperjuangkan demokrasi diteruskan apabila mereka berarak ke konsulat Jerman, malam Isnin.
Ribuan penunjuk perasaan berkumpul di Bangkok selepas PM enggan letak jawatan
Ribuan penunjuk perasaan berkumpul di jalan raya di Bangkok selepas Perdana Menteri Prayuth Chan o-cha mengabaikan permintaan mereka.
Protes mega Thailand: Ini apa anda perlu tahu
Perdana Menteri Prayut Chan-o-cha menamatkan perintah darurat di Bangkok pada Khamis.
Plak pro-demokrasi Thailand hilang sehari selepas dipasang
Plak tersebut melambangkan tuntutan protes supaya pembaharuan radikal dilaksanakan terhadap sistem monarki negara itu.
Raja Thailand bebaskan bekas peneman diraja dari penjara
Raja Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn kini dilaporkan sudah memberikan pengampunan ke atas bekas peneman dirajanya, Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi dan menerbangkannya ke Jerman untuk menyertai semula barisan gu