Thai protesters march to royal guard barracks in Bangkok

Pro-democracy rallies have raised pressure on Thailand's royalty and military in past week

Thousands of protesters marched to a barracks belonging to Thailand's royal guards in Bangkok on Sunday, demanding that King Maha Vajiralongkorn give up control of some army regiments, the latest show of defiance against the country's powerful monarchy and the military.

The protest comes after days of rallies in the Thai capital, where a student-led pro-democracy movement that emerged in July has intensified pressure on the establishment. Over recent months, demonstrators have shaken the country by criticising the monarchy, an institution protected by a harsh defamation law, and demanding the king relinquish some of his vast power and wealth.