Political turmoil isn’t new in Thailand, which has been rocked by coups and periods of unrest for decades. But a new generation of Thais has taken to the streets in recent months against a system they see as dictatorial and out-of-place in the 21st century, with some questioning the very foundation of what it means to be Thai.
“When I was eight, I saw a coup d’état. When I was 12 years old, I saw the most violent crackdown in recent history. When I was 16, I saw another coup d’état,” said 22-year-old Parit Chiwarak. “As a…