Hundreds protest in Bangkok against IMF and World Bank meetings
On Thursday, hundreds of demonstrators marched in Bangkok, Thailand's capital, against the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Police blocked the march near the venue, and brief scuffles broke out.
Hundreds of people marched through Bangkok, the Thai capital, on Thursday, 15 October, to protest the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, which are being held in the city this year. Both are international financial institutions whose decisions influence economic policy in many countries. The protesters argue that such decisions affect local communities while residents have no meaningful say.
Masks, giant floats and banners
Demonstrators carried banners, wore masks depicting world leaders and pulled large floats, including a piggy bank and an octopus. The octopus symbolised global capitalism, representing powerful economic interests tightening their grip on local communities and their resources.
Participants came from across Thailand. They rejected the official forum as a platform where ordinary people would have little influence.
Scuffles with police
Police blocked the march near the meeting venue. Brief scuffles broke out when protesters tried to hang a banner from a pedestrian bridge. The march briefly disrupted traffic at a busy intersection. Protesters eventually managed to display their banner, which called for an end to destructive capitalism.
