Thai Protesters Spurn Reconciliation Panel Plan to Ease Tensions

  • Protest groups say they want PM Prayuth’s resignation first
  • Activists also calling for new constitution, monarchy reform
An anti-government demonstration in Bangkok on Monday. Protest groups have held almost daily demonstrations in Bangkok and other cities for three weeks.Photographer: Geem Drake/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
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Thai pro-democracy activists rejected a parliament-initiated plan to form a reconciliation committee, calling it a “political ploy to buy time,” and reiterated the demand for the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha.

The Thai parliament is setting up a committee to discuss the demands of the protesters in a bid to ease political tensions and restart the stalled process for charter amendment later this month. However, the protest groups said in a statement on Wednesday that those steps would be meaningless if Prayuth clung to power.