Who is behind the student protests in Thailand?

Who is behind the protests in Thailand and what are the real issues behind this movement that is dividing Thais as the country goes through a difficult crisis due to Covid-19.

By Ernesto M. Hilario, Filipino journalist for the Manila Standard newspaper.

Unless you read the foreign news sections of our newspapers, you probably don't know that Thailand, one of the five founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a country with which we have long enjoyed ties of friendship and economic cooperation, has experienced another round of political turmoil this year despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Youth protests began in July to demand the removal of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the drafting of a new constitution.

They then called for reforms of the monarchy.

But recent reports suggest that while the street protests are inherently pro-democracy, they are in fact fomented by politicians and even supported by Washington in the US-China conflict.

Let us first address the issue of China.

China is Thailand's largest and most important economic partner.

China's foreign direct investment (FDI) in Thailand is estimated to be more than 13 times that of the US.

In addition to the huge Chinese FDI in Thailand, China is also Thailand's largest trading partner.

China is also a major boost to Thailand's tourism industry, with over 10 million Chinese tourists visiting Thailand each year, more than the number of tourists arriving in Thailand from all other Western nations combined.

China is also an increasingly important military partner for Thailand, which is buying more equipment to replace its ageing stock of US-made military equipment.

Recent Thai purchases of Chinese military equipment include dozens of main battle tanks, armoured personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and a jointly developed guided missile system.

The Thais also plan to buy their first modern submarines from China.

Thailand and China have also begun conducting joint military exercises inside Thailand along the lines of the annual Thai-US "Cobra Gold" exercises conducted since the 1980s.

Beyond trade and military ties, Thailand is a key partner in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

A joint Thai-Chinese high-speed rail line that will eventually link China, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia is already under construction.

Washington thus seems very concerned about China's advance in Thailand and wants to wean it away from any sense of intimacy with Beijing in the years to come.

The new US ambassador to Thailand, Michael DeSombre, said recently that Washington is now focusing on the South China Sea to ensure that Beijing does not illegally extend its control over the waterways.

"This is an important area for Thailand because Thailand, although not a claimant country in the South China Sea, depends on freedom of navigation for exports amounting to about 80 % of its GDP, so export and import flows through a naval situation that is not free and open would be problematic.

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Joseph Thomas, editor of the Thai geopolitical journal 'The New Atlas' and contributor to the online magazine 'New Eastern Outlook', says that in Thailand itself, the US government is currently funding opposition groups that are leading protests aimed at overthrowing the current Thai government.

Thailand's opposition Future Forward Party (FFP) is among the instigators of the current street protests.

Despite being disenfranchised due to violations of Thai election laws, the party's spokesman said the dissolved party would use street mobilisations to pursue its unique agenda to oust the ruling government.

Future Forward is headed by a billionaire, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who has vowed to roll back relations between Thailand and China and has even threatened to halt Chinese-built high-speed rail projects already underway.

Thailand's opposition is openly supported by powerful foreign interests, especially those in Washington.

As the opposition attempts to secure power and serve as a vehicle for Western vested interests, the spectre of a Western-sponsored 'colour revolution' looms ever larger over Thailand's future.

Thailand is a key nation in Southeast Asia, with the second largest economy in the Asean regional bloc.

By disrupting Thailand's political status quo, Washington apparently hopes to hinder China's regional and global rise.

While Future Forward's de facto leader Thanatorn has crowded Bangkok's downtown shopping district with supporters to fight for "democracy" and "freedom", what worries observers is his open and deep ties to his fellow billionaire, former prime minister and now fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin, like Thanathorn, is said to be supported by important foreign interests, especially in Washington.