Thailand’s youth-led pro-democracy movement torn between hope and disillusion

In 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of thousands of students took to the streets of the Thai capital Bangkok, leading to huge demonstrations and an unprecedented protest movement in the “land of smiles”. These young Thais defied the biggest taboo in the kingdom by calling for a reform of the monarchy. Five years on, some of the protesters are still fighting for more democracy. Others, disheartened by the severe crackdown, have lost hope of changing their country’s politics.