This past July, the international media turned their attention to the Democracy Monument of Thailand, brightly lit by thousands of young protesters demanding a new era of democracy against the current military dictatorship.

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Last week, I had the privilege and pleasure of hearing the tides of change through the voices of the leaders of Thai democracy.

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Since the coup of 2014, Thailand has been governed by a military dictatorship led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, whose power was renewed by an election accused of manipulation in 2019.

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For Aomtip Alice Kerdplanant, a recent graduate of Chulalongkorn University, the dissolution of the opposition Future Forward Party in February of this year was the last call. The student protest that followed (which Alice organized along with other leaders) sparked the call for national change, with Thai youth at the forefront. 

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Then the pandemic hit.

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While protests were consequently forced to a halt due to government regulation, “COVID-19 was the final call to action” for Tattep (Ford) Rungprapaikitseree. “We (Thai citizens) have been taking good care of ourselves until guests of the government (who were excused from certain COVID-19 safety measures) were infected.” Growing infections and the worsening economy elucidated that change could not be delayed, prompting the recent political science graduate quit his job to head Free Youth, the primary organizer of the ongoing democratization protests as its Secretary-General.

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On July 18, 2020, Free Youth and the Student Union of Thailand led the return of democratization efforts, reigniting protests that are continuing to today. Gathered at the Democracy Monument of Bangkok, the “3 Demands” were presented: “First and foremost, stop the harassment of people. Second, redraft the Constitution; the people must participate in crafting the Constitution. Third, we demand a re-election and a new government,”says Ford.

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“Our vision is for the nation to achieve real democracy that encourages the economy and lets people fulfill their dreams. The people have no future under the dictatorial government. Everything is political: activists are subject to human right violations and political threats while the current system worsens socioeconomic inequality of all Thai people.”

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“Thailand is in the “Dark Ages” right now,” describes Alice. “We’re not just fighting the military, but also the beliefs in people’s minds for centuries. Because of Lese Majeste 112, we are not allowed to criticize the king or the monarchy, not even speak about them. Not even activists want to speak out about the monarch since they will be arrested.”

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“But changing the monarchy is the core of implementing change. So how do we manage not being caught while speaking out against the royals? How do we change minds and encourage ourselves to speak out?”

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This is where the new generation of leaders shine the brightest. “Our student network system allows freedom and creativity,” Alice gleams. “The younger students come up with ideas from pop culture such as Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, and even Hamtaro, to use symbols without directly mentioning the monarchy. Students can organize their own protests with friends in their own way since internet communication makes it easier for more people to join.”

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Indeed, pop culture references have become the symbols of the Thai democracy movement, whether it be “Casting the Patronus Charm to Protect Democracy” and raising their “wands” and phone lights in the air, using the three finger salute of the Hunger Games series to represent the 3 Demands, or “running for democracy” around the Democracy Monument to the song of Hamtaro as hamsters running endlessly on a wheel.

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But the movement is not exclusive to the younger generation. Perhaps this is natural, as Alice recounts that the student protests by the previous generation, most notably the “Popular Uprising of October 1973,” served as the model for current activists. “It demonstrated that the young are still capable of change. Some of the youth leaders now even idolize them.”

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“We are an inclusive movement,” Ford emphasizes. “The 3 Demands demand structural change that benefits everyone and needs the participation of all people. In democracy, diversity is beautiful, but we also need unity.”

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As our conversations progressed, I grew increasingly charmed by the two young adults. Ford, though charismatic and firm, maintained a glisten of excitement -- mischief, almost -- in his eyes as he spoke. Alice beamed with conviction that seeped through her humility and compassion.

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Yet what captivated me the most was their unwavering hopefulness.

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“The strong bureaucratic state is ignoring the realities of the people even if they are aware. They’re just buying time. There are limits to the influence of domestic pressure against the current government and this requires other democratic communities and international leaders to pressure the Thai government to add external pressure from the international community,” Ford acknowledges.

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“But we will continue. Fighting the established and big system takes time, but as history shows, the young people will continue fighting. And we will be victorious.”

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I ask if there are any words of advice they’d like to emphasize to young minds watching and reading from afar, questioning their own potential.

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“When I first joined the activist movement in 2014, only 30 people were at our protest,” Alice reminisces. “But now we have thousands of people protesting with us and millions supporting us. Changing traditionally accepted beliefs is the hardest thing to fight against. But alliance (allyship) is the light in the dark. Have hope of having support.”

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“We don’t fight alone,” says Ford. “There are no leaders in this movement. If a “leader” gets arrested, another person will arise right away as the “new leader” to continue the movement. I am not a leader. We are all leaders.”

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“We own the power and we will become the power,” Alice asserts with remarkable sincerity.

“It is our world. Use your voice.”

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