78-year-old Thai political activist Sondhi Limthongkul, who led mass protests nearly 20 years ago, is returning to active politics with a new “Take Thailand Back” campaign. Its aim will be to put pressure on the government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Bloomberg reports, according to UNN.
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Sondhi said that he is not directly seeking to bring down the government, but rather to mobilize Thais dissatisfied with its performance. The campaign’s main issues include the cost of living, corruption, possible political interference, and the activities of foreign criminal networks.
I want to mobilize Thais across the country, unite people who are dissatisfied with the government, and put pressure on it to take action
Protests that paralyzed Bangkok
Sondhi was one of the leaders of the “People’s Alliance for Democracy,” known as the “Yellow Shirts” movement. In 2008, his supporters seized two Bangkok airports, including Suvarnabhumi International Airport, paralyzing their operations for approximately a week.
Sondhi now says he wants to create a permanent civic movement that will pressure the authorities regardless of who heads the government.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul responded by saying that the activities of the new movement could cause more harm to the country’s population than to his government. He also expressed the belief that Thais are prepared to continue giving his administration an opportunity to work.
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