The de facto leader of Thailand’s progressive movement. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, encountered resistance from pro-Monarchy demonstrators when he arrived in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat today (Wednesday), to help campaign for his mayoral candidate in the Provincial Administration Organization elections.
The royalists gathered in front of a hotel, where Thanathorn attending a closed-door meeting with his campaign staff and the candidate, Mr. Issara Hasdin. Thanathorn reportedly asked the demonstrators to send five representatives to meet with him, but they declined, insisting that they all wanted to see him, to question him about his position vis-à-vis the Monarchy.
Police were deployed at the hotel and a steel barricade was erected, to prevent the demonstrators from entering the hotel.
After the meeting, Thanathorn and his team immediately left the hotel for Thung Song district. His plan to see students at the Rajmongkol Srivichai University yesterday afternoon was also cancelled, after the university’s administrators rejected his request to meet them.
Meanwhile, the owner of an Indian roti bread shop, where Thanathorn was due to stop for a snack, closed the shop for three days, saying that it is not a suitable venue for political meetings.
On Tuesday, in Samut Prakan province, Thanathorn and his team also met resistance from royalists, forcing him to switch to Bang Phli district, to help campaign for his PAO candidate.
