Germany says Thai King should not rule from its soil
German minister addresses issue in House as protests against monarchy persist in Thailand
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Thai pro-democracy leaders making a three-finger salute as a general symbol against dictatorship, at a press conference across from the Grand Palace in Bangkok yesterday, ahead of a planned rally next week.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
BERLIN • Germany's foreign minister has said Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn should not be conducting politics from the European country, where he spends much of his time.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas responded to a question by a Greens MP in the Bundestag on Wednesday at a time when King Vajiralongkorn's monarchy faces unprecedented calls for reform from protesters in Thailand.
"We have made it clear that politics concerning Thailand should not be conducted from German soil," Mr Maas told Parliament.
"If there are guests in our country that conduct their state business from our soil, we would always want to act to counteract that."
Thousands of protesters have been holding demonstrations in Bangkok over recent months, calling for reform of the monarchy to curb the King's powers and for the removal of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former junta leader, and for a new Constitution and elections.
Greens parliamentarian Frithjof Schmidt also asked Mr Maas whether Germany was prepared to discuss with the European Union the freezing of free trade talks with Thailand again "as long as the junta continues to block the path to democracy in Thailand".
The EU halted contact at all levels with Thailand after a 2014 coup - led by Mr Prayut - but resumed trade talks after a general election last year that saw Mr Prayut reinstated as a civilian prime minister.
Mr Maas said halting negotiations was an option to exert pressure, but it would be right to discuss with Thailand first.
Protesters challenging Thailand's palace and army-dominated establishment broke a longstanding taboo by demanding reform of the monarchy in August.
King Vajiralongkorn, 68, has been on Thailand's throne since 2016, but spends much of his time in the German state of Bavaria, where his 15-year-old son is at school.
Thai protesters have complained about the cost of the King's stays in Europe as well as his absence from the kingdom.
The protesters seek to reduce the King's powers under the Constitution, which specifically allows him to exercise powers when he is outside Thailand without appointing a regent.
Protesters also want to remove his direct control of a royal fortune valued in tens of billions of dollars and some units of the army. The Thai palace has made no comment on the protests.
In the German Parliament, Mr Schmidt asked: "Why does the German government tolerate this extremely unusual - and in my opinion illegal - behaviour of a foreign head of state conducting politics on German soil?"
Protesters in Thailand yesterday said they would rally again next Wednesday and that they expected a big turnout to pressure the government to step down, as well as to press their calls for reform of the monarchy.
Organisers, representing several youth-led groups, said they expected the protest to draw some 100,000 people, or twice as many participants as a demonstration last month.
REUTERS, BLOOMBERG