BANGKOK, Jun. 19 (Bangkok Post) – Protesters began gathering near Government House on Thursday morning, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after a damaging leak of a phone call with former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen.

The rally is being led by the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand, which has also held several demonstrations to demand answers about special treatment given Paetongtarn’s father, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, while serving his prison sentence.

People began arriving early at the Chamai Maruchet bridge in front of Government House, where a stage was set up. Speakers took turns focusing their message on calls for the prime minister to step down.

Security around Government House was tight, with police vans lining the perimeter, sound equipment in place, and officers from the Dusit and Nang Lerng police stations, the Protection and Crowd Control Division, and the Nam Whan unit deployed to maintain order.

Police formed a three-layer human barricade at the foot of the bridge to prevent protesters from entering the Government House grounds.

Authorities said they were also monitoring sound levels from the protest stage, ensuring they did not exceed 125 decibels. Measurements from 9am to 9.30am were 111.5 decibels, they said.

Traffic in the area was initially closed from the Pranakorn commercial intersection along Phitsanulok Road to the Suan Misakawan Intersection, but reopened at 9am.

Police said that if the protest expanded onto the road, Phitsanulok Road would be closed in both directions again.

Photo from Reuters