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Re: Protests update
Pravit Rojanaphruk
09 January 2016
The Absurdity and Logic of Dictatorial Power
The latest petty prohibition ordered by the military junta is the open distribution of certain calendars in public.
Many opted to seek refuge in social media to display photos of themselves with their calendar of choice. Who would have thought that the mere act of displaying a photo of yourself with a calendar could become an act of resistance and defiance against the military regime?
And who would have thought that the junta, which claimed to be popular with 99 per cent of the population according to their recent government poll, would go as far as to tell people not to distribute the calendar in public areas?.... (read more).....http://linkis.com/khaosodenglish.com/Obdlb
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Re: Protests update
Pravit Rojanaphruk
10 January 2016
The Quixotic Quest to Alternative Charter Drafting
BANGKOK тАФ By all accounts, the two-dozen participants at the parallel charter drafting process are critical of the military junta. They know that the chances of the junta-appointed Charter Drafting Committee accepting any of their recommendations are slim.
However, they ploughed ahead with their project to deliberate on an ideal constitution.
One of the participants told me there are two kinds of people who are critical of the juntaтАЩs sponsored charter drafting process.... (read more).....http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 1452402080
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Re: Protests update
Charter drafters drop making Buddhism state religion
Submitted by editor2 on Mon, 11/01/2016
After much debate on a proposal to make Buddhism ThailandтАЩs state religion, the constitutional drafters have dropped the proposal, saying that it could lead to dangers in the future.
According to Matichon Online, Meechai Ruchupan, chairman of the Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC), revealed on Monday, 11 January 2016, that the new constitutional draft will not include a sentence saying тАШBuddhism is the national religion [of Thailand].тАЩ.... (read more).....http://prachatai.org/english/node/5759
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Re: Protests update
11 January 2016
Human Rights Could Slip Further in 2016
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer
BANGKOK тАФ If you thought 2015 was a bad year for human rights in Thailand, brace yourself for some bad news.
In 2016 violations of human rights could get worse as more people are expected to challenge the military regime of General Prayuth Chan-ocha, according to predictions from human rights activists and critics of the military junta..... (read more).....http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
THE LONG AND DISGRACEFUL TRADITION OF IMPUNITY FOR THAI STATE MURDERS
JANUARY 10, 2016 UGLYTRUTHTHAILAND
Giles Ji Ungpakorn
In just one week at the end of 2015, the long and disgraceful tradition of impunity for state murders was reinforced once again in Thailand. That week former unelected Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his thuggish right hand man Sutep Teuksuban were cleared of wrong doing for their part in ordering the cold-blooded murder of nearly a hundred pro-democracy demonstrators in 2010. This was no surprise since the present junta leader Generalissimo Prayut was also centrally involved in this state crime and had a hand in appointing the Abhisit government against the expressed wishes of most citizens in the first place. The grotesque justification for this crime was the need to clear the roads around luxury shopping centres. The unarmed protesters were demanding democratic elections.
In the same week the courts squashed the long-running case concerning the murder of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaichit....... (read more)....https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com ... e-murders/
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Re: Protests update
Charter drafters say Constitutional Court will rule on political vacuum
Submitted by editor2 on Tue, 12/01/2016
The junta-appointed drafters of the new constitution have concluded that under the new charter the controversial Constitutional Court will have jurisdiction in times of political crisis.
At the mobile meeting in Cha Am District of Phetchaburi Province, the Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC) on Monday, 11 January 2016, announced that the new charter will move the language of Article 7 of the 2007 Constitution to the section on the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court instead.
In other wo] rds, the Constitutional Court will be given..... (read more).....http://prachatai.org/english/node/5761? ... m=facebook
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Re: Protests update
Replacing the king
January 12, 2016
Article 7 of the 1997 and 2007 constitutions has been controversial. This has been because it has been a rallying cry for every anti-democratic movement since the PeopleтАЩs Alliance for Democracy.
Article 7 of the 1997 charter was used by anti-Thaksin Shinawatra protesters in 2005 and 2006. PAD pushed the use of this article very strongly. As Michael Connors explained it in his well-known Journal of Contemporary Asia article, the call for royal intervention was persistent and became a plea for the king to sack Thaksin, supported by both PAD and the Democrat Party. He also notes that the Democrat Party was prepared to use Article 7 in other circumstances in 2006. They made another call for its use in 2012 and the PeopleтАЩs Democratic Reform Committee tried again in 2013-14.
As Connors explains it, Article 7 was introduced to the 1997 constitution by..... (read more).....https://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpres ... he-king-2/
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Re: Protests update
Bangkok court bans British activist Andy Hall from traveling outside Thailand
by Asian Correspondent Staff | 13th January 2016
A BANGKOK court confiscated the passport of British migrant rights defender Andy Hall and banned him from traveling outside of the country Wednesday.
The order was handed down following a bail request submission ahead of his indictment next week (January 18) on criminal defamation and computer crimes offenses charges brought against him by Thai pineapple exporter Natural Fruit Company Ltd.
While Hall was granted bail Wednesday, he was ordered not to leave Thailand before the case has been ruled on by the court.... (read more).....http://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/01/b ... -thailand/
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Re: Protests update
Military court issues arrest warrants for six youth anti-junta activists
Submitted by editor2 on Wed, 13/01/2016
The Thai military court has issued arrest warrants for six youth anti-junta activists calling for an investigation into the corruption allegations surrounding the construction of Rajabhakti Park.
According to Daily News, the Military Court of Bangkok on Wednesday, 13 January 2016, issued arrest warrants for Sirawit Serithiwat, 23, Chonticha Jaeng-rew, 22, Chanoknan Ruamsap, 22, Abhisit Sapnaphapan, 29, Korakoch Saengyenpan, 23, and Thanet Anantawong, 25.
The warrants were approved after the police of Railway Police Station of Thonburi requested the court for permission to arrest the activists...... (read more)...http://prachatai.org/english/node/5766? ... m=facebook
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Re: Protests update
Rubber farmers say new aid insufficient
Retired army general named head of Rubber Authority
Published: 13/01/2016
Steps announced this week by the government to help rubber producers grappling with plunging prices do not go far enough, some farmers said on Wednesday..... (read more)...http://m.bangkokpost.com/news/825104?re ... pt2IKQe0Qt