Thailand: protesters turn to German embassy

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Protesters in Bangkok on the way to the German embassy

Photo: Lauren DeCicca / Getty Images

For months, people in Thailand have been protesting against the policies of their government and also questioning the role of the monarchy in the country.

Now protesters have turned to the federal government.

The question is whether the Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who spends a lot of time in Bavaria, also rules from there.

Protesters in Thailand marched in front of the German embassy in Bangkok on Monday evening.

A reporter for the AP news agency estimated the number of participants at 5,000 to 10,000.

According to their own statements, the demonstrators handed embassy employees a letter calling on the German government and Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) to determine whether the Thai king is running government from Bavaria.

Such action could be viewed as a violation of German territorial rights, the letter said.

Germany should consider sending the king back to his country.

The pro-democracy protest movement is calling for the government to resign and for an open debate on the role of the monarchy in Thailand.

The arrests of activists of the democracy movement also caused outrage.

Some of them face life imprisonment on the basis of a law that has not been applied for decades.

Maas threatens Thailand's king for staying in Bavaria

Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) only made a clear statement on the demonstrations in Thailand on Monday.

"Of course I also keep an eye on the Thai king's activities in Germany," said the SPD politician in Berlin at a press conference.

This "hustle and bustle" is "permanently" checked.

"And if there are things there that we consider to be illegal, then there will be immediate consequences."

At the beginning of October, Maas had already stated in the Bundestag that he would not tolerate the king ruling his country from Germany.

"We have made it clear that politics that affect the country of Thailand should not be based on German soil," he said at the time.

"If there are guests in our country who conduct their state affairs from our country, we would always want to clearly counteract that."

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mfh / AP