Young Thais let their funny bones do the talking

On a hot, sunny afternoon in mid-August, I stood on the sidelines of a political rally in Bangkok that had attracted a teeming crowd of teenagers and 20-somethings. Speakers of similar age shared a stage that had been set up at the base of the Democracy Monument, a tall art deco landmark in a historic quarter of the city. The focus of their ire was the government, dominated by aging generals, and the constitution, drafted by allies of the military.