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Re: Protests update
New charter is a big maze of puzzles of walls and paths: The Nation columnist
February 4, 2016
Suthichai Yoon
The Nation/Asia News Network
Officially, the draft of the 270-article new charter is supposed to help "clean up politics". Anyone with any trace of corrupt practice would be barred from entering the electoral race. The drafting commission members also would like the public to believe that it's a "constitution for reform" - so much so that one particular provision stipulates that education and police reform must be done in one year after the promulgation of the highest law of the land. How that is even remotely possible must be one of the great mysteries of modern-day politics. But very few people would take those clauses seriously. Most observers were waiting to read the "provisional clause", which will in fact determine how "democratic" this piece of document is. If you had been casting... (read more)...http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asi ... -columnist
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Re: Protests update
Life under ThailandтАЩs 2016 constitution
BY KHEMTHONG TONSAKULRUNGRUANG тАУ 5 FEBRUARY 2016
POSTED IN: THAILAND
Rather than acting for the people, ThailandтАЩs latest constitution drafting committee are the juntaтАЩs loyal servants, writes Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang.
ThailandтАЩs 1997 and 2007 constitutions both contained elaborate protections for the rights and freedoms of the people. The 2016 draft constitution represents a major overhaul in the in this area, often for worse. Meechai Ruchupan, the President of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), has chosen a different path from his predecessors.
The most striking change is the general provision for the restriction of rights. Normally, rights can be restricted only if.... (read more)......http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandal ... stitution/
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Re: Protests update
Because I'm happy: Thailand rated worldтАЩs тАШhappiest economyтАЩ in Misery Index
By Coconuts Bangkok February 5, 2016
PM Prayuth's "Return Happiness" song must be working wonders, because Thailand has been rated the тАЬhappiest economyтАЭ in the world after it came at the bottom of a тАЬmisery rankingтАЭ for global economies.
The Bloomberg Misery Index 2016 predicts that Thailand will retain its bottom place of the miserable economies this year because of continuing low unemployment and inflation..... (read more)....http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/02/05/b ... sery-index
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Re: Protests update
6 February 2016
The Artistic Side of Thai Politics
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer
BANGKOK тАФ One of the most problematic aspects of the decade-long political feud in Thailand is that many people cling to their own perceived political truths with no room for differing views. The result is little dialogue, not to mention sympathy.
These people can best be understood using a few Western artistic schools as a guide. Ten years is a long period of time for any society to be trapped in a pithole of crisis, and the sooner people can recognize our perceptive shortcomings the better.
The Impressionists: These Thais heavily rely on their impression to interpret political situation. If their perception is that junta leader Gen..... (read more).....http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6§ion=
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Re: Protests update
WHY DOES THAILAND NEED AN ARMY?
FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Giles Ji Ungpakorn
In a recent newspaper column Ajarn Niti Eauwsiwong posed the question: тАЬwhat is the purpose of having the military?тАЭ Naturally, this provoked a storm of abuse from the rather dim Generalissimo and his various underlings. Prayut lost it again (has he ever not lost it?) and shouted that the military were there so that тАЬdogsтАЭ like those in academia and the media could ask the question..... (read more).....https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com ... d-an-army/
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Re: Protests update
Pravit Rojanaphruk
07 February 2016
Charter Gets Broadcast Boost, But Criticism Will Not be Televised
BANGKOK тАФ The launch of twice daily three-minute TV and radio spots by the junta providing positive, one-sided information has prompted its critics to call for equal airtime for its opponents.
Critics of the junta-sponsored draft charter say that by spoon-feeding the public with the 8am and 6pm[a] broadcasts, the the promised referendum will be less than free and fair if opponents are not free to air critical views in the months leading up to the promised plebiscite..... (read more)....http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 1454830008
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Re: Protests update
Judicial harassment of human rights defender Sirikan Charoensiri
Submitted by editor1 on Sat, 06/02/2016тАЛ
Front Line Defenders
On 2 February 2016, human rights defender Ms Sirikan Charoensiri received a summons ordering her to report to Chanasongkram Police Station in Bangkok on 9 February 2016. The human rights defender is accused of making a false police report and refusing to comply with an order of a competent official.
Sirikan Charoensiri is a human rights lawyer who works with Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR). She is one of the legal representatives of the 14 student activists from the New Democracy Movement (NDM) who were arrested on 26 June 2015 after staging peaceful protests to mark the first anniversary of the military coup, which took place in May 2014..... (read more).....http://prachatai.org/english/node/5833
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Re: Protests update
Obama takes heat for inviting Thai coup leader to California summit
By Richard S. Ehrlich - Special to The Washington Times - - Wednesday, February 3, 2016
BANGKOK тАФ Human rights activists, opposition party leaders and scholars are sharply criticizing President ObamaтАЩs decision to include Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, head of the junta that seized power two years ago, in next weekтАЩs summit for Southeast Asian leaders in California, warning that the former army general will display the invitation as WashingtonтАЩs endorsement of the military regime..... (read more)....http://linkis.com/washingtontimes.com/qb8N9
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Re: Protests update
DISMEMBERING THE CHARTER
February 8, 2016
Is the military dictatorship serious about its second draft charter or is it all an elaborate and expensive ruse to convince average people that a return to an elected government is possible?
A report at the Bangkok Post suggests the latter.
It says there is a тАЬfresh proposal for an appointed SenateтАжтАЭ. It can hardly be тАЬnewтАЭ because this proposal has been around since the 2006 coup. Since the 2014 coup it has been suggested and considered several times.... (read more).....
https://politicalprisonersofthailand.wo ... e-charter/
http://m.bangkokpost.com/news/854992
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Re: Protests update
Decoding latest constitutional draft
Submitted by editor1 on Tue, 09/02/2016
Taweesak Kerdpoka
Meechai Ruchuphan, a veteran Thai political figure, was appointed by the NCPO in October 2015 to chair the 21-member Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC). MeechaiтАЩs latest draft constitution has a lot of issues for us to examine: an outsider PM, increasing the power of independent state organizations, unelected senators, a Constitution that canтАЩt be amended, extending the duration of the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), a trick to dispose of PMs and Cabinet members, infinite amnesty for National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) members, and continued use of Article 44..... (read more).... http://prachatai.org/english/node/5838