1. Parit Chiwarak, nicknamed Penguin, is a Thai political activist, Thammasat University student at the Faculty of Political Science, and one of the leaders of the 2020 Thai protests, via the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group.
12 Facts About Parit Chiwarak
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Parit Chiwarak was threatened with the 2007 Computer Crime Act for performing in a music video against draft constitution.
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Parit Chiwarak campaigned against the SOTUS system, a set of hierarchical normative values for Thailand's tertiary education institutions that emphasizes seniority and hazing.
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In 2017, Parit Chiwarak was involved in an ELS satire of Thailand's National Children's Day.
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In February 2019, Parit Chiwarak demonstrated against Thai general Apirat Kongsompong's decision to broadcast the controversial Cold War military anthem 'Nak Phaen Din' on the grounds that the song incited hatred and was charged with violating the 2015 Public Assembly Act.
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In June 2020, Parit Chiwarak was involved in a small protest that involved tying white ribbons around Bangkok to highlight the forced disappearance of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit in Cambodia.
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Parit Chiwarak was charged under Section 12 of the 1992 Act on the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country.
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On 24 June, Parit Chiwarak led a Student Union of Thailand protest, one of 15 such protests, to commemorate the 88th anniversary of the 1932 Siamese Revolution.
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Parit Chiwarak was first arrested in mid-August 2020 and then released on bail, and is currently facing 18 charges, from violating cleanliness laws to sedition.
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Parit Chiwarak is in prison as of February 2021, and has been denied bail.
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Parit Chiwarak has since been on a hunger strike since 15 March 2021, and was hospitalised on 30 April 2021 over concerns of shock if his condition worsened and require specialised care.
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Parit Chiwarak has been granted bail as of 11 May 2021.