Anti-government activists blocked roads as they held a rally today.

Footage shows the agitators unfurling banners criticising the government at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok, Thailand.

They then vandalised the road with spray paint and wrote anti-government slogans slamming what they believe to be an ineffective handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The country has recorded 989,859 Covid-19 cases and 8,586 deaths as of August 19 – similar to other countries in Southeast Asia.

Groups have used the situation to pressure the government. The protest movement – which erupted last year before stalling – has started again in recent weeks despite a government ban on crowds of more than five people gathering due to the rise in Covid-19 cases.

Activists are demanding new elections, the prime minister to resign and a new constitution with ‘more democracy’.

Ministers say the unrest is being funded by disaffected opposition, exiled politicians and extremist groups who encourage students to join the protests. They have cited evidence that social media bots are being used to provoke the unrest among the impressionable youth.

Officials have banned gatherings of more than five people and rolled out a 9pm curfew due to the Covid-19 pandemic but the laws have been ignored by the demonstrators.