Three-Finger Salute (The Hunger Games)

The three-finger salute is restricted in Thailand when it is used as a political protest. Making the gesture in everyday life is not a crime, but flashing it at political events or toward officials can lead to detention.

What Exactly Is Restricted

The restriction targets the gesture as a sign of political opposition, not the films or books. The Hunger Games movies and novels are legally available in Thailand.

• Restricted: Raising three fingers at protests, rallies or official events as an anti-government message
• Allowed: Watching the films, reading the books, owning merchandise

Who Banned It and When

The ban came from Thailand’s military leadership after the May 2014 coup. By June 2014, the military had warned that people who kept flashing the salute after being asked to stop could be arrested, as reported by UPI.

How It Was Enforced

Enforcement was mostly on-the-spot detention rather than long prison sentences. People were usually taken away for questioning and then released. According to CBC, the military-imposed government treated the gesture as a symbol of rebellion against its rule.

What It Means for Visitors

• Avoid making the gesture at protests, near government buildings or at official events.
• Don’t use it in photos or social media posts tied to Thai politics while you are in the country.
• Outside political settings, a normal hand gesture will not get you in trouble.

Current Status

The military handed power to an elected government in 2019, but the salute is still closely tied to protest. It was widely used in the 2020 youth-led democracy rallies, and police may still act at political gatherings. That’s why its status stays “Restricted” rather than “Ban lifted.”

The gesture started in fiction. You can see how the books themselves were treated in the US on our Hunger Games school restrictions page.