<p>Thailand is currently hosting the APEC Economic Leaders&rsquo; Week, taking place between 14 &ndash; 19 November at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), with the 29th APEC Economic Leaders&rsquo; Meeting on 18-19 November. Meanwhile, activist groups and civil society organizations are planning series of protests over the week against what they see as an attempt by the government to boost its legitimacy and greenwash the country&rsquo;s major polluters.</p>

<p>A protest took place at Thammasat University&rsquo;s Rangsit campus on Wednesday (10 August), restating the 3 demands of the 2020 pro-democracy protests and calling on people to bring about change through the next general election.</p>

<p>The commander of the Bangkok police force on Wednesday rejected allegations that its officers endangered anti-government demonstrators by aiming baton rounds at their upper bodies during a recent confrontation.</p>

<p>Another activist has been arrested and charged with royal defamation for a speech given at the <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9783">Chakri Memorial Day protest</a> on 6 April 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Declared 2 years ago to combat the spread of Covid-19, Thailand&rsquo;s State of Emergency has resulted in diminished freedom of expression and assembly. &nbsp;It has also been used as grounds for cracking down on pro-democracy protests and prosecuting activists.</p>

<p>After the last two activists held in pre-trial detention were granted bail on 4 March 2022, activists in Chiang Mai ended their daily protest for the right to bail. We speak to&nbsp;writer and translator Pakavadi Weerapaspong about the Stand Against Tyranny protests and its role in the pro-democracy movement.</p>