Thailand’s king has called the Southeast Asian nation a “land of compromise,” in rare comments that indicate there may be a path out of the political impasse that has fuelled anti-government protests for several months. King Maha Vajiralongkorn gave his first reaction to the pro-democracy movement that has roiled Thailand to Channel 4 News and CNN, during a royal function on Sunday. Asked about his message to protesters who have been calling for political reforms and unprecedented curbs to the monarch’s role, he initially said “no comment,” before adding: “We love them all the same. We love them all the same. We love them all the same.” Responding to the question about whether there was any room for compromise over their demands, he said that “Thailand is a land of compromise.” The comments mark the first time the notoriously private king, 68, has spoken to the foreign media since 1979 when he was Crown Prince.
