-
Re: Protests update
26 October 2015
Junta Warns Redshirts Not to Don Red Shirts
By Teeranai Charuvastra
BANGKOK тАФ The ruling military junta warned that Redshirt leaders will be held responsible if their supporters go ahead with a plan to wear red shirts simultaneously all across the country Sunday.
Deputy junta chairman Pravit Wongsuwan issued the warning this morning, referring to calls made by Redshirt activists on social media to wear red on Nov. 1 as a gesture to support former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra тАУ despite Redshirt leaders have already denied any involvement in the campaign.... (read more).... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
-
Re: Protests update
26 October 2015
Koh Tao Murders: Defense Asks Court to Drop Charges
Sasiwan Mokkhasen
SURAT THANI тАФ Lawyers representing two Myanmar migrant workers accused of killing two British tourists on Koh Tao murder called on the court today to drop all charges against the accused.
In a written closing statement submitted to the Koh Samui Court today, the volunteer legal team stressed the court should dismiss the charges against Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo due to the weakness of the evidence against them and procedural abuses at the time of their arrest.... (read more)... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
-
Re: Protests update
26 October 2015
Further Autopsy of Lese Majeste Inmate Unnecessary, Minister Says
Teeranai Charuvastra
BANGKOK тАФ Officials have already completed an autopsy of the lese majeste suspect who died in custody and have already returned his body to his family, the Minister of Justice said today.
Justice Minister Paiboon Khumchaya told reporters that police completed an autopsy of the inmate, Police Maj. Prakrom Warunprapha, at the prison hospital where he was taken Friday after after hanging himself. PrakromтАЩs body, Paiboon said, has been handed over the body to his family.
тАЬThis case is now over, because the family already picked up the body,тАЭ Gen. Paiboon said.... (read more).... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
-
Re: Protests update
Retired teacher charged with sedition for giving flower to anti-junta activist
Submitted by editor2 on Tue, 27/10/2015
The authorities arrested and pressed sedition charge against a 77-year-old teacher for giving flowers to support an anti-junta activist.
According to Free Thai Legal Aid (FTLA), the FTLA lawyers on Monday 10 am, 26 October 2015, submitted a bail request for Preecha Kaewbanpaew, a 77-year-old retired teacher, to the Military Court of Bangkok.
At around 2 pm, the Military Court granted bail to the retired teacher with 150,000 baht bond, confiscating his Government Saving BankтАЩs Lottery and 1,000 baht cash as surety.
According to Winyat Chatmontri, the General Secretary of the FTLA, Preecha is charged with Article 116 of the Criminal Code, the sedition law, and the violation of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)тАЩs Order No. 7/2014 for participating in a political gathering of more than five people.
Winyat told Prachatai that the retired teacher was charged for giving flowers to support Pansak Srithep, a pro-democracy activist and the father of a boy killed by the military during the 2010 political violence, while the activist was leading a three-day march called тАЬI Walk Therefore I AmтАЭ on 15 March 2015 to campaign against the use of military courts to try civilians. The march was organised by Resistant Citizen, an anti-junta activist group which started.... (read more)..... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5570
-
Re: Protests update
Editorial Opinion
Guess who's coming to town?
Guess who's coming to town this Sunday? A voice from somewhere answers: "People in red!"
Published: 27/10/2015
Writer: Veera Prateepchaiku
Someone, nobody will admit who, posted this message on social media last week. It urged followers of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to wear red -- be it a red T-shirt, red pants, red scarf or just red hair -- on Nov 1, as a collective show of moral support for her.
This move was in response to the government's plan to invoke a rarely-enforced law empowering the prime minister to issue an administrative order demanding financial compensation from Ms Yingluck for the staggering losses accrued by her administation's rice pledging scheme.... (read more).... http://m.bangkokpost.com/opinion/745016
-
Re: Protests update
Consolidating control in cyberspace
By Aim Sinpeng and Gennie Gebhart, Guest Contributors
тАУ 27 October 2015
The тАШgreat firewall of ThailandтАЩ has met with a growing online backlash. But the battle over information control is far from over.... (read more).... http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandal ... yberspace/
-
Re: Protests update
Military warns northern red shirt not to wear red
Submitted by editor2 on Wed, 28/10/2015
Thai military officers have asked the coordinator of a northern anti-establishment red shirt group not wear a red shirt to show support for the former Prime Minister.
According to Thailand Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), military officers from the 34th Army Division on Monday, 26 October 2015, summoned Siriwat Jupamadta, coordinator of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the main red shirt faction, of the northern province of Phayao for a discussion.
Siriwat reported that three military officers were waiting for him at 8 am on Monday at a condominium in Phayao Province where he works. After their meeting, at about 9 am, he travelled to the 34th Army Division in his own vehicle together with the officers.... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5573
-
Re: Protests update
28 October 2015
Thai Net More тАШNot FreeтАЩ Due to Military Suppression: Freedom House
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
WASHINGTON тАФ ThailandтАЩs internet was rated тАЬnot freeтАЭ due to increased suppression under military rule in the latest report from Freedom House, a U.S.-based NGO that monitors democracy and free expression around the world.
Record sentences of decades in prison for Facebook comments deemed insulting to the monarchy were among factors given for ThailandтАЩs lower score in the annual тАЬFreedom on the NetтАЭ index released Tuesday.
тАЬMore Thai internet users were harassed and arrested during the coverage period than ever before in the wake of the 2014 coup,тАЭ the report said..... (read more).... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
-
Re: Protests update
PM says he may need to stay at helm
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says he may need to remain in power as long as the country is not at peace.
29/10/2015
Writer: Aekarach Sattaburuth
Gen Prayut was speaking in parliament at Wednesday's meeting of the so-called "five rivers of power" -- the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the cabinet, the National Legislative Assembly, the Constitution Drafting Committee and the National Reform Steering Assembly.
He said the country has moved on to the stage where the NCPO is laying down regulations in the lead-up to elections.
The NCPO has unveiled a time frame of 20 months to write a charter, hold a referendum on it, enact organic laws and organise a general election.
As the NCPO proceeds with the roadmap, there must be no attempts to stir up sedition or hatred, Gen Prayut said.
"Politicians do not have to be suspicious of me. [The media] writes every day that I intend to cling on to power. I must make it clear. If there is no peace and order, I must stay on," he told the meeting.
"If there are attempts to bring people out [onto the streets], the movement leaders will be dealt with first," he added.... (read more)... http://m.bangkokpost.com/topstories/746856
-
Re: Protests update
29 October 2015
Gen. Prayuth Meets US Ambassador Davies
By Teeranai Charuvastra
BANGKOK тАФ Recently installed U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies met with junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha this afternoon at Government House.
The two men made an introduction and discussed several issues such as democracy, the economy and public health in the first meeting between a top American envoy and Gen. Prayuth since the latter seized power in May 2014, straining relations between the two traditional allies.... (read more).... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=