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Re: Protests update
Nonthaburi protesters blast Davies
Anti-US sentiment grows over speech
Published: 05/12/2015
Anti-American sentiment continues to mount as protesters in Nonthaburi were the latest to denounce US ambassador Glyn Davies' criticism of Thailand's lese majeste law.
The protest comes as another blow to the recently appointed ambassador who has been dragged into hot water after his contentious speech on Nov 25 which has drawn anger, and a series of protests in many provinces across the country.
Gathering in front of the Nonthaburi Provincial Hall on Friday, a group of about 30 rally-goers, named "Seri Non Khon Rak Nai Luang", demonstrated their dissatisfaction with Mr Davies through placards and a special one-page statement, which strongly criticised the ambassador for his "highly unacceptable" words..... (read more).... http://m.bangkokpost.com/news/785393
Junta encourages anti-American protests for dad
Dec 5 2015
The military dictatorship hates political demonstrations. Except when it is the junta that is encouraging and facilitating them.
Since US Ambassador Glyn Davies made some reasonably innocuous comments about the draconian lese majeste law, mad monarchists have been demonstrating. At the same time, the regime has organized and facilitated demonstrations in several provinces..... (read more).... https://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpres ... s-for-dad/
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Re: Protests update
Life for a Thai in exile: Jakrapob Penkair - Part 2
Submitted by editor1 on Wed, 02/12/2015
Although Jakrapob Penkair may have disappeared from the Thai political scene many years ago, his name still resounds. This confirms his status as a 'political man' whose latest achievement is to co-found 'Seri Thai'--an organisation whose mandate is to fight the juntaтАЩs National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) from outside the country. It is the task which has prompted another round of surveillance on him by the authorities.... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5656
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Re: Protests update
End political prosecutions: Thai Academics for Civil Rights
Submitted by editor2 on Thu, 03/12/2015
Thai academics have kicked off an online campaign, demanding that the junta тАШunconditionallyтАЩ end the persecution of political dissidents.
A group of academics calling themselves Thai Academics for Civil Rights (TACR) has started an online campaign on Change.org titled тАШUniversities are Not Military Barracks, the Country is Not a Concentration CampтАЩ to collect names calling for an end to human rights violations by the juntaтАЩs National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and university heads... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5662
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Re: Protests update
New US Envoy to Thailand Walks Tightrope Amid Alliance Strain
US-Thai relations have entered a new tumultuous phase.
By Shawn W. Crispin
December 04, 2015
Thailand-United States relations have entered a new tumultuous phase, just two months after WashingtonтАЩs appointment to Bangkok of a veteran diplomat with a remit to repair damaged ties. U.S. ambassador to Thailand Glyn DaviesтАЩ innocuous remark on the ruling military juntaтАЩs unprecedented use of lese majeste charges to stifle free speech and imprison critics of the monarchy has sparked a firestorm of high-level rebukes and anti-U.S. protests calling for the senior envoyтАЩs expulsion and an end to perceived American interference in domestic affairs..... (read more).... http://thediplomat.com/2015/12/new-us-e ... ce-strain/
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Re: Protests update
06 December 2015
An Open Letter to Ultra-Royalists
Pravit Rojanaphruk
Dear Ultra-Royalists,
How surprisingly delighted I was to read that hundreds of you gathered at the U.S. Embassy and throughout the provinces during the past week to oppose the criticism of the lese majeste law by new U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies and call for his ouster. ItтАЩs good and yet ironically surreal to see all you folks exercising your freedom of political assembly тАУ despite the supposed junta ban on any political gathering of five or more people тАУ to exercise your freedom of expression to further curb othersтАЩ freedom of expression.
While I respect your ideological and political views with regards to the monarchy, I was disappointed that the venerable monk Buddha Issara, who led protesters Nov. 27 to the U.S. Embassy, claimed to be speaking on behalf of all Thais.... (read more).... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 1449378769
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Re: Protests update
vpn or proxy if in Thailand
The role of Thai social movements in democratisation
December 6, 2015
Giles Ji Ungpakorn
In recent Thai political history we have seen a number of social movements which claimed to be campaigning for democracy. The PeopleтАЩs Alliance for Democracy (PAD) or the тАЬYellow ShirtsтАЭ, Sutep TeuksubanтАЩs PeopleтАЩs Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) or the тАЬRed ShirtsтАЭ, are the most important examples..... (read more).... https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com ... atisation/
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Re: Protests update
Security officers detain democracy-activists en route Rajabhakti Park
Submitted by editor2 on Mon, 07/12/2015
Update: According to Matichon Online, the military on Monday morning has closed off Rajabhakti Park for тАШreparationтАЩ until further notice. Many military officers are deployed at the park gate.
Military and police officers detained anti-junta activists on their way to Rakabhakti Park, a royal theme park plagued with corruption scandal, and cut off a train bogie to prevent them from travelling further.
According to Resistant Citizen, an anti-junta political group, military and police officers around 10 am on Monday, 7 December 2015, at Ban Pong Train Station in Ratchaburi Province detained at least four anti-junta activists who were on an excursion to Rajabhakti Park.
Some of those detained are Anon Nampa, a well known anti-junta lawyer, who has been charged for defying the juntaтАЩs political gathering ban earlier this year, and Sirawit Serithiwat who is also facing similar charge.
The excursion was organised by Resistant Citizen and several well known pro-democracy activists to investigate on the corruption scandal surrounding the park which was constructed by the Thai military..... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5672
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Re: Protests update
07 December 2015
Rajabhakti Scandal: Military Closes Park 'For Maintenance,' Detains Dozens of Activists
BANGKOK тАФ For the second time in a week, the military has intercepted a group of activists who attempted to travel to the armyтАЩs historical park said to be rife with corruption.
Sirawith Serithiwat, co-founder of the pro-democracy group Resistant Citizens, and dozens of his supporters were arrested aboard a train en route to Rajabhakti Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan province Monday morning.
The authorities employed several drastic measures to intercept the group, including cutting off the train car that Sirawith was riding, closing down the historical park тАЬfor maintenanceтАЭ and threatening SirawithтАЩs mother on Sunday to convince her son to call off the trip.
iLaw, an NGO group that tracks legal prosecution of anti-junta activists, said on Twitter that they were told 33 people have been arrested so far.... (read more)... http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
NACC asked to investigate General Udomdej and General Sirichai
in Politics | December 8, 2015
Self-made political activist Veera Somkwamkid today (Tuesday) asked the National Anti-Corruption Commission to launch an investigation into alleged malfeasance in office in connection with the construction of the Rajabhakti Park by former army chief General Udomdej Seetabutr and former defence permanent secretary General Sirichai Ditthakul.... (read more).... http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nacc-a ... l-sirichai
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Re: Protests update
The тАЬmoderateтАЭ military
Dec 8, 2015
As readers will know, new French Ambassador, keen on expanding trade with the worldтАЩs only military dictatorship, has stated that the junta is тАЬmoderate.тАЭ
Gilles Garachon might say that the Thai military regime did not murder the students going to look at military corruption park, but they did employ extreme measures to prevent a few students, several old women and various others from visiting Rajabhakti Park.
This included the mobilization of rightists and royalists in Hua Hin to oppose the students and supporters.... (read more).... https://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpres ... -military/