EXCLUSIVE: Interview With On The Run Thai Pro-Democracy Activist, Nuling (Sombat Boonngamanong)

EXCLUSIVE: Interview With On The Run Thai Pro-Democracy Activist, Nuling (Sombat Boonngamanong) 

Andrew Spooner, 1 June 2014

Sombat Boonngamanong - more commonly known by his nom de guerre "Nuling" - is one of Thailand's leading and most courageous pro-democracy Red Shirt activists.

Since the military coup of 22nd May Nuling has been sought by the Thai junta and Thai Army. Since going on the run the Army have targeted Nuling's 16year old daughter in an attempt get him to hand himself in.

At the moment Nuling remains "underground" but I recently had the chance to interview him (the Thai version appears here).

How do you feel about the Thai Army harassing your daughter?

It is disgusting that the army is harassing my family and daughter as they have no political role. But they want to put pressure on me - to make me feel worried. They want me to know that they can reach my daughter and this is the method that those "strong" soldier use.

Why did you go on the run?  

I am summoned by the coup leaders - it is wrong for those who use force or ams to seize the people’s power and to then order any citizen to report to them. As one of the leaders of Red Sunday group my group had a leading role in holding an anti-coup rally during the 2006 coup and has since continued to do pro-democracy activities, I can’t accept the military coup so I refuse to hand myself in. But since I've started doing more anti-coup activities via social media they are making a very serious effort to hunt me down.

Do you have a message for the Thai junta?

What I want to tell the dictatorial military junta is what you think your powers derive from are actually the fundamental political rights of the people. You don’t perform your army duty to protect us but to rob the people of our basic rights. You are not heroes but political thieves.

Can you divulge any future plans?

My plan to to oppose to the coup. I will do activities to let the world know that Thai people do not agree with the coup and we will be like a sharp thorn stabbing the coup leaders. We will constantly remind them that we don’t agree with them and will oppose them. I want to use this opportunity to awake people's democratic consciousness even whilst they are living in fear.