Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

As an extension of the "car mob" protests held in August, protestors in Thailand have directed their efforts to the Asoke intersection in Bangkok, heeding the call of protest leader Nattawut Saikuar, the Bangkok Post reported.

In a bid to oust the Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, daily protests are expected to continue at the same location in the coming days, Nattawut reportedly told protestors on Sep. 5.

The most recent protests at Asoke marked a step up from the previous "car mob" protests, where people swarmed the streets of Bangkok in their vehicles, a move to evade Covid-19 restrictions on mass gatherings, as per the Associated Press (AP).

Why is Prayuth hated?

Prayuth was an army commander before seizing power in 2014 after a successful coup.

He stayed in power after a controversial election in 2019, with the Human Rights Watch calling out the "unfair" electoral system which favoured the military junta.

Recently, discontentment among the people towards the Thai premier has risen, as his administration is widely believed to be incompetent in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, Al Jazeera reported.

Thailand has been logging over 14,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with over 13,000 deaths recorded thus far, while less than 12 per cent of the population have been fully vaccinated, according to Reuters.

Prayuth survived his third vote of no-confidence in parliament on Sep. 4, with almost half of the House of Representatives voting to remove him, reported Nikkei Asia.

The former army general and five of his ministers were reportedly "grilled"  by the opposition due to their "poor handling of the country's Covid-19 crisis".

Protests to continue until Prayuth steps down

Fresh rounds of protests have since broken out, as anti-government protestors return to Asoke intersection, honking the horns of their vehicles in support of the protests, reported the Bangkok Post.

Speaking to the Bangkok Post, one of the organisers of the protest, Sombat Boonngam-anong, said Asoke will serve as the base of the "peaceful" protests until the prime minister steps down.

In the event that Prayuth does not step down, a permanent structure will be erected at the intersection until the demand is met.

Apart from coordinating with the police to ensure their protests are not in close proximity to "sensitive symbolic grounds", a special lane will also be designated for emergency vehicles to pass through, Sombat added.

The protests have continued to take place on Tuesday (Sep. 7).

A visibly smaller crowd this Tuesday evening at Asoke Intersection. Yesterday, protest co-leader Sombat Boonngam-anong said he will play by the ear if a daily protest is sustainable. #Thailand #WhatsHappeningInThailand #COVID19 #ม็อบ6กันยา #ป pic.twitter.com/QlcLcwjwk6

— Pravit Rojanaphruk (@PravitR) September 7, 2021

Protester organizers burned books and lit fires next to the Democracy Monument in symbolic protest against the Prayut Chan-ocha government.#ม็อบ7กันยา #WhatsHappeningInThailand pic.twitter.com/L9AwRornan

— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) September 7, 2021

Follow and listen to our podcast here

Top image by @Daisuki19613139 & @BangkokJackNews on Twitter