Protest leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak has distanced himself from the Free Youth group, insisting that their recent advocacy of republicanism and communism does not reflect the Ratsadon group’s political ideology.

He said that he is not a member of the Free Youth group, but a member of the United Front for Thammasat and Demonstration and Ratsadon groups.

The Free Youth group recently posted a banner, proclaiming that communism does not equate to dictatorship.  This controversial banner, which has baffled its supporters, came hot on the heels of the group’s new logo, RT (Restart Thailand) which resembles the hammer and sickle, the internationally recognized symbol of communism.

On Monday, the group released a statement defending communism as an economic system, of which “despotic capitalists” are afraid.  The true meaning of communism is not the same as capitalist propaganda would have people believe, said the statement.

Parit insisted that the Ratsadon and the United Front for Thammasat and Demonstration groups uphold democratic rule, under which everyone is equal and has rights and liberties.

The prominent protest leader, who has become the iconic face of the reform movement maintained, however, that there is nothing wrong in advocating communism or transformation to a republic, because they have the right to free expression, but he reminded those who advocate communism, or any undemocratic political system, to think carefully whether such systems reflect the aspirations of the people.