August 17, 2021, 01:58 PM
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Thailand has taken the first spot on the leadership board of the clicker game "Popcat", defeating the previous champion Taiwan.
The game features the cat "Oatmeal" from a viral meme, and allows players to tap on the cat to make its mouth open in an exaggerated, photoshopped "O". Each tap gives the player one point.
Thai players have taken to scoring as many points as possible in the game in order to bring attention worldwide to its domestic political situation.
A Grab rider was even seen clicking on the cat in quick succession while he was waiting out the red light.
Thailand No.1 kaaaaa 🇹🇭🇹🇭
— 🍣 (@yuphatha) August 15, 2021
5555555555555555 #popcat #popcatthailand pic.twitter.com/CFwTfdZ4Fe
The game's developer has called attention to their cause as well, asking others to listen to what they're saying.
Please take a moment to learn about the protests in Thailand. Many people are asking for change, the least we can do is listen.#whatshappeninginthailand #ม็อบ15สิงหา https://t.co/GTnrPgH2lV
— Eddie (@onfe1) August 15, 2021
Protesters have been taking to the streets and calling for the Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to resign, citing incompetence in handling the Covid-19 pandemic as one of the reasons.
The country's youth-led anti-government protests have seen a revival after the government cracked down on the movement last year.
As they took over the top spot from Taiwanese players, Thai Twitter users expressed their ecstasy at taking over Taiwan's spot in a tongue-in-cheek manner, and apologised as well using the hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance.
#popcat Thai & Taiwan
— ♡‧₊˚dearmydeer✧.*🌕 ༘✨ (@kkxyoungk_) August 15, 2021
Milk tea alliance Pop cat pic.twitter.com/X14kyrMbaQ
We apologize to the Taiwanese brothers and sisters.This is the result of having a bad government. Most of us Thai people lose their jobs. We have a lot of free time. So we gonna win this game #MilkTeaAlliance #popcat
— 🌙🦋Mo Ok ❄️🔥 (@ByMyself1990) August 15, 2021
To Taiwan & Malaysia,
— 🔞🌹 rosalyna 🐈🍊 (@RosaLynaLerman) August 15, 2021
We are grateful for our friendship in the milktea alliance. But Taiwan, you have an amazing government & Malaysia, I heard your PM has resigned.
In Thailand we neither have any of these things. Please let us have small happiness for this victory.#popcat pic.twitter.com/Tqice47W0f
As Malaysia currently ranks third on the leadership board of the game, the country was included in one of the many viral memes on the informal online alliance as well. The country has recently seen nationwide calls from Malaysians for the prime minister to step down as well, which culminated in Muhyiddin Yassin announcing his resignation on Aug. 16.
Lovely Milk Tea Alliance❤️#popcat pic.twitter.com/7U1E20V7eW
— 17 Renée (@1721a88) August 16, 2021
The hashtag was widely used by young pro-democracy social media users from Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong to show solidarity with one another against what they perceived as an overbearing and intimidating foreign policy approach from China.
#MilkTeaAlliance was later used to express solidarity with protesters in Myanmar as well, as they fought against the military junta's coup and their violent crackdown.
The online movement has been taken offline too, as demonstrators from the respective countries held street rallies in a bid to draw international support for what's happening in Myanmar, where
The game has seen a surge in Taiwan along with the Olympic hype, with many players joining in to take another "gold" for the island.
Top image by Khaosod and @yuphatha, @ByMyself1990/Twitter
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