Thailand's mobile phone protest

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Transcript

00:00Do you know that telephones were one used as a tool for political protests in Thailand?

00:06In May 1992, Thailand witnessed a pivotal moment in its political history, an uprising known as Black May.

00:13The cause was the appointment of coup maker General Suchinda Krabayun as Prime Minister.

00:18Despite his previous promise not to take the premier post, the protests began on May 17, 1992,

00:24with over 200,000 demonstrators gathering at Sanam Luong and surrounding areas.

00:30Amidst this turmoil, a unique phenomenon emerged, the mobile phone protest.

00:34This term, made by the media, highlighted the significant role of mobile phones in organizing and mobilizing the protests.

00:41For the first time, mobile phones became a tool for political activism.

00:45It was also because of the intervention of then government to the media by trying to censor news outlets.

00:51The protests sadly culminated in a violent crackdown, resulting in at least 52 deaths and hundreds of injuries.