Street food vendors were cheered as they raced to the scene of a large anti-monarchy protest in Bangkok, Thailand.

Thousands of anti-monarchy protesters marched towards the German embassy on Monday evening (26 October) demanding action over the Thai king's lengthy presence in Germany, which has sparked controversy in both countries.

The hawkers have become unlikely heroes of the anti-government protests in Thailand -- arriving at sites longs before the crowds.

They have baffled onlookers with the speed that they appear, often before police, media or protesters.

Food sellers say they follow the social media announcements from the protesters' accounts and then race to the scene as soon as a new protest venue is announced.

They typically sell fried chicken, fish balls, and sausages, from carts attached to motorcycles. The snacks cost between 10 baht (0.32 dollars) and 20 baht (0.64 dollars).

"We have to follow the news very closely. We have formed a chat group after protesters gave us the nickname 'CIA'," said one seller.

One seller Petch told the news agency Reuters that she and other vendors had created their own group on a messaging app and named it "CIA mobile fishballs for protests".

Other vendors have even put stickers on their carts in support of the protests and refused to serve police or soldiers.

"I’m both here to sell, and to support the protesters. I hate Prayuth very much,” one said, complaining his income had fallen under the current military government.

The protests have been ongoing since the start of the year but large demonstrations erupted earlier this month with rallies across the country.

The Prime Minister issued a 'severe state of emergency' in response to the unrest but this was recently rescinded. Dozens of protest organisers and leaders have been arrested.

Street food vendors were cheered as they raced to the scene of an anti-monarchy protest in Bangkok, Thailand, this evening (October 26).

The hawkers and traders have become unlikely stars of the anti-government protests in Thailand - arriving at the sites longs before the crowds.

They have baffled onlookers with the speed that they appear at the rally sites - often before police, media or the protesters themselves.

Food sellers said that they follow the social media announcements from the protesters' accounts and then race to the scene as soon as a new protest venue is announced.

The snacks they sell - fried chicken, fish balls, and sausages - from their carts attached to motorcycles cost between 10 baht (0.32USD) and 20 baht (0.64USD).

''We have to follow the news very closely. We have formed a chat group after protesters gave us the nickname 'CIA','' said 29-year-old

One seller Petch told the news agency Reuters that she and other vendors had created their own group on a messaging app and named it ''CIA Mobile Fishballs for Protests''.

Other vendors have even put stickers on their carts in support of the protests and refused to serve police or soldiers.
''I’m both here to sell and to support the protesters. I hate Prayuth very much,” another added. He complained that his income had fallen under the current military government.

One of the protesters, Max, said he was astonished at the selection of food available at each rally.

He said: ''The food vendors are useful. They support us. It's also good because nobody has to leave the protest site when they're hungry. That makes us stronger.''

Thousands of Thai anti-monarchy protesters march to the German Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday evening (October 26).

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the Thai capital as they marched towards the diplomatic building to demand action over the Thai king's continued presence in Germany, which has sparked controversy.

As crowds gathered at the Sam Yan intersection, boxes full of white construction helmets arrived and were handed out to those involved - a tactic also used during to unrest in Hong Kong earlier this year.

They then marched to the German Embassy where a letter was handed over urging German officials to probe the King's affairs.

The embassy has become the focus of the latest protests as German authorities have raised questions over the king's presence in the country amid claims that the monarch is conducting political affairs and ruling from foreign soil.

Thailand's anti-government protests started with small groups of student activists but have grown in recent weeks.
The protesters are calling for democratic reforms, constitutional changes, and the resignation of the prime minister.