Protesters Picket Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha’s at Asia-Europe Meeting in Italy

Thais and Italians protest against General Prayuth in Milan

Protestors  holding protest placards demanded the European Union to put more pressure on the Thai government which they charged came to powers through a military coup.

The protesters also demanded the Thai government to bring to justice the people who were responsible for the death of Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi who was shot dead during the red-shirt protest against the Abhisit Government on May 19, 2010.

However, another group of people converged in front of the hotel where the Thai delegation was staying to give moral support to the prime minister.

Prime Minister Prayut held bilateral discussions on the sideline separately with Japanese Shinzo Abe, Chinese Prime Minister  Li Keqiang, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Singapore Prime Minister Lee HsienLoong.

AFP photographer Marco Bertorello attended a demonstration Thursday against Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on the first day of the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting. Photo: Marco Bertorello / AFP

Government Claims Italians Duped into Anti-Prayuth ‘Hoax

An article in Bangkok Coconuts mocks a Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd saying,  Those photographs from international news media of protesters holding signs denouncing junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha? Don’t believe them because they were totally fake, the prime minister’s office has announced. After all, you can put any old sign into the hands of a farang, and they’ll march down the street holding it.

After the world’s media reported protesters in Italy denounced junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha as a “criminal” while European leaders refused to meet with him, a government spokesman today said it was all a hoax.

According to spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd of the prime minister’s office, some Thai dissidents in Italy seized the opportunity to dupe some hapless Italians protesting against racism into holding the signs, whom they then took photos of.

“There have been claims on social media and a number of websites, especially on a website called Thai E News, about images that attempt to depict a protest against Gen. Prayuth and his delegates,” Sansern said in Khaosod English. “Let me stress that these claims are false.”

Today’s suggestion was the latest departure from consensus for Thai authorities.

This week alone the recently retired general contradicted the British government’s assertion it had summoned a Thai diplomat over the Koh Tao murder investigation, and state-media contradicted Japanese accounts of a meeting between Prayuth and Japan’s Shinzo Abe.