Thai farmers, fishermen, and workers marched through the streets of Bangkok on Friday to demand a say in the global financial policies that they argue are shaping their livelihoods. The demonstration took place as global finance and business leaders gathered in the city for meetings held by the IMF and the World Bank. Hundreds of protesters, many of whom were dressed in colorful scarves and straw hats, had intended to reach the main conference centre, but their path was blocked by a line of police stationed more than a kilometre away, with the road obstructed by shipping containers.
Some demonstrators carried fishing nets and hoisted banners that read "World Bank, stop destroying the poor," a direct reference to widespread criticisms that global lenders extract an excessively high price from countries that borrow money. Protesters specifically targeted certain initiatives, most notably the World Bank-backed Pak Mun dam. This hydropower project, which was completed in 1994, has been a source of long-standing grievance for local fishing communities who claim it has severely damaged their livelihoods. Putta Muansaen, a 67-year-old fisherman who travelled overnight from the northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province, stated that the dam has caused significant ecological damage. "There are no more fish. They can't swim upstream," he said, adding that the river, the water, and the ecosystem have all changed.
Other participants highlighted the broader economic struggles facing rural Thailand. Somporn Yamyong, a 62-year-old rice farmer from the central province of Suphan Buri, travelled to the capital to draw attention to years of meager earnings and mounting debt. She expressed a desire for both Thai leaders and the representatives of the IMF and World Bank to hear about the hardships facing farmers. Coconut farmer Sombat Chuekrod, 51, from Prachuap Khiri Khan province, south-west of Bangkok, added, "Thai people are already poor. Please don't make us any poorer." While Thailand received an IMF loan three decades ago, the country paid off that debt in 2003, though it continues to maintain some projects with the World Bank.
The rally also included non-Thai participants, such as 59-year-old South African activist and researcher Harry May. He argued that global lenders are "bankrupting our countries, especially developing countries," and criticized the institutions for creating cycles of debt under the guise of providing development aid. While there were brief scuffles on Thursday when police blocked protesters attempting to hang a banner from a footbridge in the capital, there was no sign of trouble on Friday morning.
