<p>Small leftist groups such as Social Move often get ignored alongside the bigger political actors, such as the yellow and red-shirt movements, and rarely get media exposure. Their ideological commitment is clear, however. Key Social Move member Saowalux Pongam talks to The Nation's Pravit Rojanaphruk about the left and politics. Excerpts:</p> <p><strong>What is the political standing of Social Move?</strong></p>

<p>The military should withdraw armed soldiers from BTS Skytrain and MRT subway stations and lift immediately the emergency decree which has been imposed for nearly six months. The prolonged decree and soldiers' presence is militarising Thai society and creating fear among those who oppose the government, said Patchanee Kumnak, a committee member of Social Move, a fringe group of Thai leftists.</p>

<p>On 2 Dec, the Social Move group of activists visited Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul at Khlong Prem Prison. &nbsp;They found her still active in discussing political issues, despite the fact that inmates are supposed to be kept away from politics through the prison&rsquo;s various means of censorship. &nbsp;She was very happy to have received letters from sympathizers in many countries. &nbsp;</p>