Thai Activists Gravitate to Clubhouse After Crackdown
Voice of America
BANGKOK, THAILAND - After a youth movement to reform Thailand’s monarchy erupted onto Bangkok’s streets last year, many dissidents have been detained without bail, while facing criminal charges in what appears to be a quieted city.
But inside Clubhouse, a live, invitation-only audio chat app, the activism continues as the popular political forum allows like-minded Thai netizens to bond. Members can host, moderate, and listen to discussions on any topic and in any language. The “raise hand” feature allows users to have real-time interaction with moderators and each other. Launched a year ago, the app was dominated by entrepreneurs and technology types. But in Thailand, the platform's popularity didn't take off until February, when prominent political figures joined the app.Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a camp for internally displaced people in Rafah on May 27, 2024. Fire rages following an Israeli strike on an area designated for displaced Palestinians, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, in this still picture taken from a video, May 26, 2024. Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a camp for internally displaced people in Rafah on May 27, 2024. A member of the bomb squad of the Israeli police collects debris after a rocket fired by Palestinian militants struck in the Israeli city of Herzliya on May 26, 2024.
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