Pro-democracy movement protest in central Bangkok

Thailand's student-led pro-democracy movement rallied at Bangkok's Democracy Monument on Saturday, symbolically removing small plants from around the monument and tossing them into a heap, before draping the landmark in red fabric.

The demonstration in the Thai capital was called by the Ratsadorn movement, which campaigned last year for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his government to step down.

They also demanded changes to the constitution and reforms to the monarchy to make it more accountable.

Four top leaders of the movement, including Arnon Nampha and Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak, have been in detention since Tuesday after being denied bail.

They have been charged with sedition and defaming the monarchy for their protest activities.

The protesters' demand for monarchy reform is the most radical and controversial, because the institution has widely been considered an untouchable, bedrock element of Thai nationalism.

The movement has struck a chord with many Thais but alienated others, especially royalists shocked at its criticisms of the monarchy.

The movement began to lose steam late last year amid differences among its factions, and because of a resurgence of the coronavirus in Thailand.