Pro-democracy protesters flash a three-finger salute in Bangkok
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Yannuch and her father haven’t spoken for months.
The pair were never that close, but ever since the 25-year-old joined the youth movement in Thailand calling for sweeping democratic reforms, her father has disowned her.
Their feud erupted in September after Yannuch, who lives in Chiang Mai away from her parents, posted comments on Facebook questioning the role of the monarchy.
Like the thousands of other young people who have taken the unprecedented step of criticising the royal institution in recent months, she had broken a centuries-old cultural taboo, and her father was furious.
He urged her to delete her comments fearing that his job and reputation as a local village chief were at risk. Criticism of the monarchy in Thailand carries prison sentences of up to 15 years under a strict law.
But she refused, and gained the support of her mother.
“Once I explained to my mum I was simply expressing myself and exercising my right, she took my side,” Yannuch said.
Growing frustrated, her father cut her off, saying she could no longer use the family name. Yannuch began to panic and asked fellow activists on Facebook for advice, prompting a wave of abuse directed at her father.
“When you die I hope your daughter doesn’t organise a funeral for you,” wrote one user.
Pro-democracy protest guards march towards Thai riot police in Bangkok
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For her father the reaction to his comment was the final straw. With the help of an anti-bullying NGO, he went live on Facebook to publicly renounce his daughter.
“Yannuch is no longer part of my family,” he said.
“I have asked her to give up our family name. From now on I’m not related to her, and I’m not part of her political activity.”
Since then neither one has spoken to the other, and police are considering charging Yannuch under the Computer Crimes Act over the online abuse of her father.
While theirs is one of the more extreme cases, Yannuch and her father’s dispute is among a growing number to have emerged between family members since the political crisis began in February and gained momentum in July. Protestors, who are mostly young, have been calling for constitutional change, the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, and greater accountability of King Maha Vajiralongkorn — often putting them at odds with their more conservative parents.
Local businesswoman Suksri Tongsibjed garnered public support after she posted on Facebook encouraging parents to disown children who join the protests.
“Write in the will that you will bequeath your assets to a relative (or a charity organization) if your children continue to go to the monarchy-abolishing mob,” Suksri wrote. “Photocopy the will and put it at the front door, so that they see it when they enter and exit. If they ask any questions, do not answer, because the will already clearly states everything.”
“I’m an original conservative. I’m the only one rebelling against what all Thais are doing, which is killing their children by letting them follow their heart,” she added.
But not all disputes are being caused by ideological differences. Among high school students, parents have been reluctant to let them attend protests over safety concerns, particularly as clashes with police grow more violent. In November, six people were shot and 55 people injured on what has been the most violent day of protests so far.
Ilya Smirnoff, executive director of Childline, a helpline for under 18 year olds, said: “It seems to be one of the most severe problems related to the protest that we’ve come across — this conflict within the family, where it becomes so big kids have to stay away from home. And it creates a conflict that’s really hard to resolve.”
Thai police offers (R) face off against anti-government protesters (L) as they try to breach a barricade to access the Crown Property Bureau during a rally in Bangkok
Credit: DIEGO AZUBEL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock
Yet many young people, inspired by social media and popular culture, are ready to defy their parents for the sake of their future, which they feel is being squandered by the country’s leaders.
Aey, 15, joined the protests hoping for reform of Thailand’s draconian education system after her teacher forcibly cut another student’s hair as punishment for being too long.
Aey’s committed to the movement, but worries she might butt heads with her father, who she has yet to tell about her activism, fearing his reaction.
“I knew that if I asked parents first they wouldn’t have let me join. So I only told my mother after the third protest I went to,” she said.
Aey won her mother round by agreeing to certain rules when attending protests: that she comes home early, goes in a group and tags her whereabouts online. Some of her friends are even being taken to protests by their parents to ensure their safety.
But for Yannuch, the row with her father has become too toxic to be resolved easily. She regrets their split, but her generation has come too far in challenging the establishment for her to turn back now.
“I will go to every protest I can,” she said.
“It’s my right.”
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