Pro-democracy movements in Thailand have demanded the removal of a section of the country’s law which allows the authorities to book dissidents for years in jail for “royal defamation.”

Wednesday was nothing short of high drama in Thai politics as Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party, was also temporarily suspended from serving as a legislator by the Constitutional Court, just as parliamentarians were debating his eligibility to stand for the prime minister’s post

During a violent attempt to disperse protesters on Saturday, September 11, Thai police arrested 78 people, including nine minors and 20 who were not even protesters. 52 were detained over the weekend

Thailand has recently seen a massive surge in COVID-19 infections, with a seven-day average of 15,500 cases per day. The government is under fire from the opposition and protesters for its mishandling of the pandemic