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Five Thai students have been detained after flashing a Hunger Games-inspired salute at PM Prayuth Chan-Ocha.
The three-fingered salute was widely used by protesters against Thailand’s military coup in May.
The military had threatened in June to arrest anyone who refused to stop doing it when challenged.
General Prayuth Chan-Ocha led the coup, which came after months of political deadlock and unrest, and became prime minister in August.
On November 19, Prayuth Chan-Ocha was speaking at an event in the north-eastern province of Khon Kaen when five students from a local university sitting near the podium stood up.
They removed their shirts to reveal T-shirts underneath with a Thai slogan reading “No Coup”, and flashed the three-fingered salute.
Police officers and soldiers immediately took the five away.
The three-finger gesture is used by characters in the dystopian Hunger Games film and book trilogy as a sign of silent dissent against a brutal authoritarian state.
It became so popular after the Thai coup that the authorities warned they would arrest anyone in a large group who gave the salute and refused to lower their arm when ordered.
Local media reported that Prayuth Chan-ocha appeared unperturbed and asked: “Does anyone else want to protest?”
He added that protesters could lodge complaints with local government offices.
Army officials later confirmed that the students were taken to a military camp and were detained for “attitude adjustment”, reported The Nation.
Lawyer Sasinan Thamnithinan said they had not been charged, the Associated Press reports.
Anti-coup leaflets had reportedly been distributed around Khon Kaen province before General Prayuth Chan-ocha’s arrival.
The area is known to be a power base for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his Pheu Thai party, whose supporters are known as “red shirts”.
The military has been heavily criticized for its ousting of the democratically-elected civilian government.
It has argued that its May coup was necessary to bring peace and stability to Thailand, which saw violent clashes between red shirts and the pro-monarchy opposition “yellow shirts” supporters.
Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha became prime minister after he was named by a legislature hand-picked by the military.
Amnesty International has said the military government has since engaged in widespread human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and a clampdown on free speech.
The military has said it eventually plans to hand power back to civilians and promised to hold a general election in late 2015. But international players have raised concerns of the junta consolidating power in the meantime.
Thailand’s pro-government Red Shirt movement has warned that any attempt to oust PM Yingluck Shinawatra could trigger a civil war.
The movement’s leaders issued the warning at a rally outside Bangkok – the first staged by the Red Shirts near the capital since violent clashes broke out in November.
Opponents of Yingluck Shinawatra and her party have filed legal cases against her.
Months of anti-government mass protests have failed to unseat her.
Speaking to a crowd of tens of thousands, Jatuporn Promphan, the chairman of the pro-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), said judicial institutions were trying “to take over power without elections”.
“What we are most concerned about – that we want to warn all sides against – is a civil war, which we do not want to happen,” he said.
“It will happen if there is a coup and democracy is stolen.”
Yingluck Shinawatra’s supporters say they are holding the rally to deter her opponents from attempts to oust her
Speaking to a crowd of tens of thousands, Jatuporn Promphan, the chairman of the pro-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), said judicial institutions were trying “to take over power without elections”.
“What we are most concerned about – that we want to warn all sides against – is a civil war, which we do not want to happen,” he said.
“It will happen if there is a coup and democracy is stolen.”
Yingluck Shinawatra is facing mounting legal cases – including charges of neglect of duty and abuse of power – that correspondents say could see her removed from office in coming weeks.
Meanwhile anti-government protesters have continued their own demonstrations from their headquarters in Bangkok’s central Lumpini Park.
The government called an election in February, but that was obstructed by protesters.
Since then Thailand has been in a state of paralysis.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s party has won the last five elections, but her opponents argue that Thailand’s democracy is so deeply flawed that it must be reformed before another election can be held.
Another factor driving the conflict is acute anxiety over the ailing health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The Red Shirts at Saturday’s rally openly showed support for his son Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn. He is the designated heir but some among traditional elite are believed to oppose him.
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Thailand’s anti-government protesters have resumed demonstrations in Bangkok demanding the resignation of PM Yingluck Shinawatra.
Large crowds carrying Thai flags marched along several routes from the main park in Bangkok.
It was the first major protest rally to take place since a Thai court ruled the February 2 general election invalid.
Until recently, Thailand had seen an ease in tensions since anti-government demonstrations began four months ago.
Anti-government activists want PM Yingluck Shinawatra to step down and the political system to be reformed.
At the height of the demonstrations, which began in November, protesters shut down key road junctions in Bangkok and blockaded government ministries.
Thailand’s anti-government activists want PM Yingluck Shinawatra to step down and the political system to be reformed
Saturday’s demonstrators, led by protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, marched from Bangkok’s Lumpini Park along six different routes through the city centre.
”We want to tell the government that the people don’t accept them anymore and the people really want reform of the country immediately,” Suthep Thaugsuban told reporters.
Suthep Thaugsuban warned the authorities against attempting to organize a re-run of the elections, saying any future poll would be boycotted.
The march comes a week after Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled the February 2 general election invalid.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s ruling party was expected to win the poll, but the opposition boycotted it and protesters disrupted voting, meaning the election has not been completed.
The protesters, who are mainly urban and middle class, want Yingluck Shinawatra’s government replaced by an unelected “people’s council”.
They accuse the Thai government of being run by PM Yingluck Shinawatra’s brother and ousted former leader, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Yingluck Shinawatra, who has dismissed calls to step down, is currently facing charges of negligence over a government rice subsidy scheme, which critics say was rife with corruption.
She is expected to submit her defense to the National Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday.
If found guilty, Yingluck Shinawatra could be removed from office and faces a five-year ban from politics.
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