Demonstrators Are On The Move, Thai Prime MInister Is Demanded To Step Down As COVID-19 Spikes

ILLUSTRATION/Sukhumvit, Thailand/UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - Protesters in Thailand are convoying through the streets in cars and motorbikes to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha.

Chan-ocha is seen as failing to contain the outbreak as the country struggles with the highest spike in COVID-19 cases during the pandemic.

In Bangkok, as reported by Antara, Sunday, August 1, motorists honk their horns and motorcyclists give a three-finger salute -- a symbol of resistance inspired by the film "The Hunger Games --" as they cross the 20km road from the Democracy Monument in the center of the capital to Don Muang International Airport.

"We can barely make a living now, all our family members are affected", Chai, a 47-year-old protester who declined to give his full name, said from inside the car.

"The government failed to provide vaccines on time and many of us have not been vaccinated", he said.

"If we don't take to the streets to make our calls, the government will ignore us".

Similar protests were also held in other provinces. The Southeast Asian nation plans to vaccinate 50 million people by the end of 2021.

So far, only 5.8 percent of its 66 million population have been fully vaccinated, while 21 percent of people have only received one dose.

On Sunday, Thailand reported 18.027 new cases and 133 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total to 615.314 cases and 4.990 deaths.