Thousands take to streets of Bangkok to protest against military-backed govt

Thousands of people poured onto the streets of Thailand's Bangkok city in an organised event to protest against the military-backed government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Sunday.

"It doesn't matter who the prime minister is for us, we just want justice. Most business people feel that the economy has not improved. We have suffered and we miss better times. We run today to tell the government that we are not happy, " said Nakorn, an entrepreneur attending the event, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

"For many of us, we just want justice to be raised to a higher standard," Nakorn added.

At least 10,000 people registered for the six-kilometre run around the city's Wachirabenchathat or Rot Fai Park to raise their voice against the government.

"The aim and intention of the event is to show that the people do not want the military to maintain control of the country," Titipol Phakdeewanich, a professor of political science at a local university, said.

In December last year, opposition parties in Thailand held a rally calling for an end to Prayut's rule as the party is facing multiple legal charges.

Since 2014, the political environment has been in a fix when Prayuth, then a general, took control in a coup.