The royalist Thai Pakdee group has announced manifesto. Its policies include protection of the Thai Monarchy, no constitutional changes and strict enforcement of the law, with action to be taken against those who offend the revered institution.
A number of the group’s followers, who are mostly adults, attended its first rally at the Din Daeng Youth Centre on Sunday afternoon.
Former Democrat MP Warong Detgitvigrom, a founder and the chief strategist of the group, said that they have no intention of confronting the anti-establishment groups “but will resort to truth in our fight to win over the others.”
Without naming parties, he blamed politicians for plunging Thailand into deeper political divide, separating the old and new generations.
In addressing the crowd, the former Democrat MP said they had come together to protect the Monarchy, to retain the Thai identity, to do away with all forms of monopoly, to attain career equality for all Thai people, through the application of technology, and to enhance national prosperity via a sufficiency economy.
The Thai Pakdee group called on the Education Minister and all university rectors to “close space on campus”, to prevent lecturers, who may harbor anti-Monarchy leanings, from “brainwashing” their students.
The group has also set up a fund, with seed money of 100,000 baht, to provide legal support to people who allege that they have been harassed by anti-monarchists.
The group also plans to submit a letter to the Japanese ambassador in Thailand, to urge that country’s government to rein in exiled Thai lecturer Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a frequent critic of the Thai Monarchy.
Meanwhile, United Front for Democracy (UDD) chairman, Jatuporn Promphan, called on all political groups to refrain from using the Monarchy as a tool to attack their opponents.
Speaking on Peace TV, he said he found the Thai Pakdee group to have an extreme right-wing agenda, similar to a combination of the former Nawaphol, Red Guard and Village Scout groups.
