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Re: Protests update
Prawit defends PM's 'close the country' gaffe
Published: 30/10/2015
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday came out in defence of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha after he remarked he would stay on in power and "close the country" if peace in Thailand proves elusive.
"The prime minister did not mean it literally," Gen Prawit insisted yesterday..... (read more).... http://m.bangkokpost.com/news/748444
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Re: Protests update
Exclusive Interview
'Friendship intact, but not business as usual'
October 30, 2015
A veteran diplomat of 35 years with expertise in North Korea and nuclear issues, new US Ambassador Glyn T Davies talks to Veenarat Laohapakakul in an exclusive interview with the Nation Group
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam met with you and explained Thailand's road map to
democracy. Was it acceptable to you?.... (read more).... http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion ... 71891.html
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Re: Protests update
Internet freedom in Thailand is now as bad as in Burma тАУ report
by Asian Correspondent Staff | 30th October 2015
FREEDOM HOUSEтАЩS latest тАШFreedom on the NetтАЩ report makes for worrying reading, especially for web users in Asia, with China rated as having the least free internet in the world and web freedom in Thailand falling sharply under military rule.
Against a backdrop of worldwide erosion of internet freedom, Asian countries fared among the worst. The Internet in only two Asian countries тАУ Japan and the Philippines тАУ was rated as тАШFreeтАЩ.
Not surprisingly, serial offender China was rated as the nation with the most restricted internet.... (read more)... http://asiancorrespondent.com/2015/10/i ... -as-burma/
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Re: Protests update
ThailandтАЩs indefinite roadmap: Prayuth threatens to тАШstay onтАЩ in power
by Saksith Saiyasombut | 30th October 2015 |
ThailandтАЩs military government is becoming increasingly blatant about its intentions to stay in power
THAILANDтАЩS Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has never been shy about letting everybody know his opinions. The junta leader also expects everybody to listen. Nobody knows that better than the local journalists who have endured the daily press briefings by the PM that have more often than not turned into prolonged tirades (as we have reported previously). The rest of the country might have caught some nuggets of his wisdom during his weekly TV adresses while waiting for their nightly fix of local televisionтАЩs ubiquitous and hugely popular soap operas.
ItтАЩs one and a half years into the rule of ThailandтАЩs military after it took power in the coup of May 22, 2014. Its reign has been authoritarian, dominating nearly the entire political discourse, censoring the flow of information and intolerant of criticism and dissent тАУ even if itтАЩs something as innocuous as an old man giving flowers to anti-junta protesters.... (read more).... http://asiancorrespondent.com/2015/10/t ... -in-power/
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Re: Protests update
Thai junta coins new history book to legitimise its rule
Submitted by editor2 on Fri, 30/10/2015
Kongpob Areerat
Following the controversial 12 nationalistic Thai values introduced in the aftermath of the 2014 coup dтАЩ├йtat and the construction of a theme park with grandiose monuments of ancient kings, the Thai junta has now published its latest version of Thai history, which many historians view as an attempt to legitimize military rule via a narrow nationalistic history.... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5576
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Re: Protests update
Freedom and firewalls
By Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang
тАУ 29 October 2015
The Thai JuntaтАЩs attempts to control cyberspace are setting the country down a dangerous path, writes Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang.
Three weeks ago, thousands of angry Thai Internet users bombarded government websites through a series of denial of service, or DDoS, attacks. By hitting the refresh button on their Internet browsers nonstop, they flooded each websitesтАЩ traffic to the point of collapse..... (read more).... http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandal ... firewalls/
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Re: Protests update
Majority back PM's "close country" remark
Published: 01/11/2015
A majority of people say they agree with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's remark that he might have to stay on and that the country could be closed if there is no peace and order, according to Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted on 1,119 people througout the country between Oct 29 and 31 to gauge their opinions on the meeting of the "five main rivers -- the government, Constitution Drafting Committee, National Reform Steering Assembly and National Council for Peace and Order -- last week.
Gen Prayut made the remark that "if there is no peace and order, I must stay on and if we have to close the country, so be it".... (read more).... http://m.bangkokpost.com/news/750264
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Re: Protests update
Activists call for military reform at commemoration of democracy icon
Submitted by editor2 on Mon, 02/11/2015
Pro-democracy activists gathered in front of Army Headquarters to call for military reform at an event commemorating the suicide of a taxi driver, who hanged himself from a bridge to protest the 2006 military coup dтАЩ├йtat.
In the late afternoon of Saturday, 31 October 2015, anti-junta activists from the Resistant Citizens Group and a large crowd gathered at the 14 October Memorial on Rachadamnoen Avenue on the 9th anniversary of the suicide of Numthong Praiwan, a taxi driver.
The event occurred with a heavy presence of police and military, who came to maintain security and monitor activities.
After gathering at the 14 October Memorial, the activists and their supporters marched to the Headquarters of the Royal Thai Army where they called for reform of the Thai Armed Forces.
The group urged the military to return to the barracks and return the country to civilian rule, saying that the military must serve the people and not look upon them as enemies.... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5579
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Re: Protests update
Military summons red shirt for wearing red
Submitted by editor2 on Mon, 02/11/2015
Military officers in northern Thailand summoned a group of anti-establishment red shirts for a discussion after they put on red shirts.
According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), the military officers of the northern province of Chiang Rai summoned Somchai Saengthong and three other red shirts for a meeting at the 37th Army Division on Monday morning, 2 November 2015.
At the military base, Maj Gen Pisan Nakphachon, the Army Division Commander, and three other military officials asked the four about why they were wearing red shirts on Sunday, 1 November 2015, and what do they think about the court case against the ex-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who currently faces corruption charges over the rice subsidy program.... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5581
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Re: Protests update
Anti-junta activists refuse to be tried by military court
Submitted by editor2 on Thu, 05/11/2015
Thai Anti-junta activists indicted with juntaтАЩs political gathering ban have refused the military court jurisdiction on their cases, reasoning that they should be tried by the court of justice.
The Military Court of Bangkok on Thursday morning held deposition hearings of Pansak Srithep, the core leader of Resistant Citizen, an anti-junta activist group, Natchacha Kongudom, and Tatchapong Kaedum, the three anti-junta activists charged with violating the juntaтАЩs National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)тАЩs political assembly ban.... (read more)... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5591